The Des Moines class demonstrated that an automatic 8-inch cruiser gun could combine a heavy projectile with a much higher rate of fire. The Mark 16 suggests that large automatic naval guns still had a viable development path after the Second World War. Shore bombardment remained a substantial mission because amphibious forces needed sustained and comparatively inexpensive fire support. Suitable large bursting shells might also have helped defend against massed missile attacks, although this is presented as a speculative use. Optimizing solely for the North Atlantic antisubmarine fight discarded useful heavy-gun options for other naval tasks.
Chapter · 35:11-38:15
The Des Moines class shows the heavy-gun alternative
The automatic 8-inch Mark 16 illustrates a path toward rapid heavy fire for land attack and potentially broader fleet-defense roles.