In conventional naval anti-air warfare thinking, close-in weapons are seen as a last-ditch defence against incoming threats, “leakers”, which have somehow made it past both fighters and missiles.

Currently the Japanese Navy has 155 combat and support ships. There are four helicopter carriers, 24 submarines, 36 destroyers, six Mogami class frigates, 21 mine warfare ships, six 240 ton patrol ...

The US Navy began working on unmanned aerial systems in 1936. The initial goal was to create targets for naval anti-air gunnery practice, but the invention of radar altimeters and television along ...