Can US Navy Surface Warships Survive the New Age of Anti-Ship Missiles?

By Kris Osborn, Center for Military Modernization

(Washington DC) The rapid arrival and technological progress of anti-ship missiles, in terms of range, precision, and lethality has without question placed large manned ships at new levels of risk in maritime warfare.

Multiple Chinese anti-ship missiles, such as the DF-21D and DF-26, can reportedly hold surface ships at risk at 1,000 and 2,000 miles respectively. Russia’s Moskit anti-ship missile can attack surface ships from 155 miles away, and both Iran and North Korea have dangerous anti-ship missiles as well.

Turbulent Waters

A report from March 2023 cited the Chief of Staff of the Iranian Defense Force citing results from a successful test of a new anti-ship missile able to hit targets at ranges of 1,500 kilometers away.

North Korea is known to operate the KN19, Kumsong-3 cruise missile which, according to The Diplomat, contains new generations of guidance and maneuvering technology.

More than simply rendering large-deck ships such as carriers and amphibious assault ships obsolete, emerging anti-ship missiles have been driving tactical adjustments and informing new concepts of operation intended to respond to a new and fast-evolving threat environment.

The advent and rapid, large-scale arrival of longer-range, more precise anti-ship missiles is likely one of several key variables informing the Navy’s Distributed Maritime Operations (DMO) concept. The idea is to leverage new transport-layer communications technologies, longer-range weapons guidance technology, and unmanned systems with growing degrees of autonomy and networking to achieve a desired battlefield “effect” without having to place large surface formations at risk. A more disaggregated surface force is of course less of a visible target and therefore more survivable.