Will counter-drone warfare bring back more naval guns?

Could recent combat experience lead future warships back to two 5-inch mounts or a broader mix of defensive guns?

More gun armament is plausible, with 5-inch, 76 mm, 35 mm, and other close-in systems filling layers that lasers cannot yet cover reliably.

Future ships may regain more gun mounts, although two 5-inch weapons are only one possible arrangement. Reported American interest in newer OTO Melara 76 mm systems suggests that a mixed battery is one possibility. Lasers remain attractive, but atmospheric thermal bloom can disperse their energy and reduce performance. The Royal Navy has also examined 30 mm and 40 mm close-in options, while Italian practice treats 35 mm and 76 mm guns as complementary. These weapons would form overlapping defensive layers instead of leaving one emerging system to cover every threat.