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.

  • Commentary

    Defense

    From Innovation Ecosystem to Industrial Base

    Introduction America’s defense technology boom is real. Venture-backed firms building in artificial intelligence (AI), autonomy, space, and advanced manufacturing are winning ...

    By Brian Katz

    • May 14, 2026
  • Podcast

    Defense / Technology & National Security

    WarTalk: Iran War with Jack Shanahan

    The “love tap” White House readout. A failed convoy operation. KSA pulling overflight rights. Iran with 70% of its missile force still intact. And one F-15E shoot-down from ab...

    By Lt. Gen. Jack Shanahan & Jordan Schneider

    • May 11, 2026
  • Podcast

    Defense

    Numbers Matter

    Among the many lessons of Ukraine and the Iran war is the role of small, distributed air and missile defenses, whether using — or defending against — missiles or drones. Dr. S...

    By Stacie Pettyjohn

    • May 8, 2026
  • Commentary

    Defense

    Experts Make Their Picks for Acquisition Reform Litmus Tests

    If the department cannot pass these easy tests, there is little reason to believe it will do well on the harder ones....

    By Stacie Pettyjohn

    • National Defense Magazine
    • May 5, 2026

View All Reports View All Articles & Multimedia