January 22, 2024

Is The U.S. Navy Ready For The Red Sea Threat?

In the Red Sea drone and missile attacks by the Houthi rebels are stemming the flow of commerce in a critical part of the world. The U.S. Navy has deployed numerous ships to help defend against these attacks, but with the high cost of advanced missiles, and fleet that has shrunk considerably since the end of the Cold War, can the Navy keep pace with the threats in the Red Sea and beyond?

Efforts to hide the movement of U.S. forces and misdirect or blind any reconnaissance systems could boost the Navy’s ability to defend against mass missile salvos in the event of a major war.

“As scary as the PLA rocket force is, in terms of the weapon systems … those units by themselves can’t find anything,” said Tom Shugart, adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security. “They’re just missiles on trucks. So something has got to find those targets for them.“

Watch the full video from CNBC.

  • Reports
    • March 13, 2025
    Safe and Effective

    Executive Summary With each passing year, the promise of artificial intelligence (AI) and autonomy to change the character of war inches closer to reality. This technology wil...

    By Josh Wallin

  • Commentary
    • March 13, 2025
    Sharper: Military Artificial Intelligence

    Since the atomic bomb, no technology has the potential to be as disruptive to warfare as artificial intelligence (AI). AI could deliver instant targeting solutions, develop hi...

    By Charles Horn

  • Commentary
    • Foreign Affairs
    • March 10, 2025
    America’s Eroding Airpower

    To have a chance at success, the United States would need more low-end drones and missiles that can provide it with mass....

    By Stacie Pettyjohn

  • Video
    • February 27, 2025
    Maritime Domain Lessons from Russia-Ukraine | Conflict in Focus

    In this week's Conflict in Focus episode, Dr. Stacie Pettyjohn, senior fellow and director of the Defense Program at the Center for a New American Security, discusses the key ...

    By Stacie Pettyjohn

View All Reports View All Articles & Multimedia