How would a modern close-in weapon system fare against an age-of-sail frigate or line-of-battle ship?
Short answerIt would be a colossal overmatch because modern accuracy and rate of fire would let it shred the wooden ship before old cannon could respond effectively.
NotesThe hypothetical gives one side in an eighteenth-century battle a modern close-in weapon system. The result would be an overwhelming mismatch because neither historical force could answer its rate and accuracy of fire. Even if an old cannon could theoretically throw a ball across a similar distance, it could not place repeated hits with modern control. A modern mount could deliberately rake the hull near the waterline and rapidly destroy exposed structure. Deliberately aiming for the magazine would be less straightforward because it lay buried within the ship and often below the waterline, although widespread penetrations might still reach it. A visual backup control intended for small-boat engagements could aim the weapon without relying solely on automatic threat detection. Nominal range matters far less than the ability to detect, aim, and deliver damaging fire consistently.