Are modern ships under-armed, or are their weapons simply much more capable?
Short answerSome are considered under-armed, and confidence in more capable weapons can become excessive when it rests on sales claims.
NotesModern ships can carry more capable weapons and still be under-armed. The concern is excessive reliance on what those weapons are expected to achieve. An unverified Falklands saying claimed that sales promises, if fulfilled, would have meant every Argentine aircraft being shot down three times and every Royal Navy warship sunk twice. The figures are recalled with explicit uncertainty. The point is to question advertised performance when deciding how much armament a ship needs.