Ship speed still aids deployment more than missile evasion

Does a warship's speed advantage still matter in modern naval warfare?

Yes for cruising speed and global movement, but not nearly as much for escaping or defeating missiles traveling at extreme speed.

High cruising speed still helps a fleet reposition and move between theaters, so propulsion performance retains strategic value. In a missile engagement, a surface ship's extra knots are small compared with the weapon's velocity. Modern designers can value mobility without treating speed as the defensive answer it could be in a gun action.