Can large-calibre gunfire saturate modern defences?

Could modern radar detect 8-inch shells, and could gunfire saturate a ship's defences?

Likely yes, but a large shell magazine could still create a saturation problem at a much lower cost than missiles.

A suitable radar could detect an 8-inch shell at substantial range, but airborne early warning should normally find the firing ship first. The situation becomes more dangerous if satellites or airborne coverage are absent and the gunship uses a UAV for spotting. A magazine of roughly 400 shells allows the attacker to accept a high expenditure in order to saturate one defended target. Defensive systems may intercept individual rounds, yet they must keep doing so against a volume that missiles are too expensive to imitate casually. The gun's advantages include its range and the economics of repeated fire against a finite defensive magazine.