Were automated small-calibre guns worth adopting?

Did the Royal Navy experiment with automated small-calibre or all-angle gun systems?

Yes, but an experimental system was only worthwhile if it stayed within weight limits and proved at least as fast and reliable as trained crews.

Navies experimented with many small-calibre automatic weapons, but each system still had to meet weight limits and work reliably. A more advanced mechanism is not necessarily an improvement if it is slower or less dependable than people operating a conventional system. The relevant comparison covers the whole weapon system: weight, operating speed, and dependable performance all matter more than novelty. Naval technology is constrained by integration and reliability as well as capability on paper.