The next layers in warship air defense

Will 2020s warships gain more layers of air, anti-submarine, and anti-surface defense?

Yes, especially directed-energy weapons and renewed use of rapid-fire 40 mm and 76 mm guns.

Modern warships will likely add defensive layers rather than rely on a single missile system. Directed-energy weapons are the leading candidate for a new close-range layer because they promise repeated engagements without conventional ammunition handling. Forty-millimeter guns may also return in greater numbers, while rapid-fire 76 mm systems already offer a mature medium-caliber option. The Italian OTO Melara family illustrates why many navies are reconsidering guns as complements to expensive interceptors.