Do missiles and network-centric warfare make capital ships obsolete?
Short answerNo; networks reward distribution, but large multi-role ships still provide magazine depth, defenses, redundancy, and the ability to preserve several missions when a specialist node is lost.
NotesA larger combatant can carry more offensive weapons, defensive systems, sensors, and duplicate equipment than a small specialist node. Networked fleets gain reach by sharing information, but an opponent can network a powerful ship into its force as readily as it can network smaller vessels. If every small hull performs only one role, losing that node may remove an entire capability from the formation; multi-role ships can cover for one another when casualties or budget cuts thin the fleet. The planned British carrier group shows deliberate specialization without total fragility: Type 82s combined inner air and anti-submarine defense, Type 42s reinforced air defense, and frigates operated heavier helicopters and anti-ship weapons farther out. A resilient fleet balances distributed nodes with enough general-purpose capacity and redundancy to keep the force functioning.