US Navy Ships Are Too Small To Defend Themselves Says New US Congress Report
John Konrad
September 17, 2021
by John Konrad (gCaptain) In a new study titled Navy Lasers, Railgun, and Gun-Launched Guided Projectiles the US Congress reports the two most important limitations that Navy surface ships currently face defending themselves against UAVs and anti-ship missiles are limited depth of magazine and unfavorable cost exchange ratios. Traslated this means that fighting swarm drone attacks would require lots more ammunition which requires lots more money and space aboard ship.
Limited depth of magazine refers to the fact that Navy surface ships can use surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) and Close-in Weapon System (CIWS) Gatling guns to shoot down only a certain number of enemy UAVs and anti-ship missiles before running out of SAMs and CIWS ammunition — a situation (which naval officers call “going Winchester”) that can require a ship to withdraw from battle, spend time travelling to a safe reloading location (which can be hundreds of miles away) to rendezvous with a Military Sealift Command ammunition ship.
Without more space to carry a lot more ammunition Navy surface ships in combat against adversaries such as China, that are armed with large numbers of UAVs and anti-ship missiles may “not be able to adequately defend themselves”.
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