Why 76 mm guns matter for close-in defense

The Italian Horizon variant carries three OTO Melara 76 mm Super Rapid guns, each capable of a very high rate of fire. DART anti-aircraft ammunition and long-range Vulcano rounds make the mount more than a conventional surface gun. Fitting 76 mm weapons to Type 31 would strengthen its defensive capability and the visible credibility needed for presence missions. The comparison then raises doubts about relying indefinitely on 20 mm Phalanx, whose apparent adequacy may reflect the absence of a demanding combat test rather than ample destructive power. That untested confidence is compared with late-1930s aircraft still fitted with Vickers machine guns, which combat quickly pushed aside for 20 mm and then 40 mm cannon. The naming dispute shows how labels can diverge from capability: NATO treats Horizon as destroyer-level even though France and Italy call the type a frigate.