Gunfire support depended on ships and ammunition systems

How useful were Des Moines-class cruisers after 1945, and would an old Daring-class destroyer have helped at the Falklands?

Both could provide useful gunfire support, but the decisive practical advantage was access to an established ammunition supply.

Des Moines-class cruisers were useful for gunfire support, particularly in Korea, though air power became more prominent in Vietnam. The same logistics lesson applies to a hypothetical Daring-class destroyer in the Falklands War. Such a ship could have been useful because the Royal Navy already possessed substantial stocks of compatible 4.5-inch ammunition. A gun-armed ship is only valuable if its shells, handling arrangements, and support chain remain available.