Close-in defence does not settle the big-gun question

Could improving close-in defences bring back large-gun warships?

It depends on their performance against hypersonic threats; stronger close-in weapons are desirable but do not answer the whole question.

Improved close-in missile defence does not automatically provide a route back to big-gun warships. The decisive test is how defensive systems match up against hypersonic weapons, although more capable close-in weapons would still be desirable. The short answer keeps the technological uncertainty explicit.