The proposed 1970s strike cruiser's automatic 8-inch gun prompts speculation about its use against submarines. More broadly, the variety of shells available makes a naval gun a versatile launcher. Much of the equipment that makes a missile bulky and expensive can remain in the gun's launching system instead of travelling with every projectile. A hypothetical shell with a range of 100 kilometres is compared with an anti-ship missile that would have been attractive in the 1980s. A gun might also fire roughly twenty such rounds in a minute. The comparison explains why improved ammunition can keep a gun useful across several roles.
Notable Point · 44:46-46:14
Naval guns as reusable multi-purpose launchers
A hypothetical 100 km shell fired at roughly twenty rounds per minute illustrates the range and volume of fire that could keep naval guns useful.