How Exocet changed the threat model

Did the Falklands War cause a shift toward anti-missile defense in the Royal Navy and NATO?

The shift had begun, but Exocet exposed how heavily defenses had been optimized for Soviet-style attacks rather than a Western sea-skimming missile profile.

NATO was already developing missile defenses, including systems such as Sea Wolf. The war showed that preparing mainly for Soviet weapon profiles could leave gaps against a French-designed missile with different operational characteristics. Subsequent Western work therefore had a relevant foundation for later threats such as Kalibr.