CDR SALAMANDER: Red Sea Experience: Don’t Let Others Ignore It.

When it comes to war at sea, we get few opportunities to see what works, what does not work. What we need more of, what we can do without. The last 15-months of experience in the Red Sea have been priceless, unscheduled range time.

The Europeans have learned that they need to work on their software integration and need [to] find some extra money for improvements to existing kit, but as the US Navy has done the bulk of the fighting—from Aegis software to proving that Anti-Ship Ballistic Missiles are not boogeymen—we have a lot to leverage.

Look at those numbers again. What weapon system was used more than any other?

The 5” gun.

We always need more shells. They aren’t sexy, they’re cheap compared to missiles, but we always need more.