How a multi-axis attack could strain Aegis

Defeating a sophisticated defense requires synchronized pressure from several directions. Submarine attacks would keep escorts and anti-submarine helicopters occupied while missiles and bombers approached from multiple angles. Friendly helicopters might have to descend or leave a threatened sector to avoid defensive fire, reducing the group's ability to find the attacking submarines at the worst possible moment. Training and sector-defense procedures help, but human operators can still make mistakes under pressure. Software can also fail when programmers did not anticipate an abnormal case, such as a helicopter returning low after a dipping-sonar emergency while the air-defense system is already engaged.