Where the US Navy is falling apart is on drone defense. Shooting down $250 Houthi missiles with $5 million SM-6s is a good way for the US to run out of weaponry and go broke at a pretty fast clip. We desperately need cost effective drone defenses.
I guess the semi-secret 60,00 dollar question is what are cost effective drone defences? What do they look like and consist of, and how fast can we start mass-producing and improving them?
I.E., A re they jamming the drone communications? Or using a C.I.W.S. type shoot-down system at closer ranges? Interceptors that detonate close enough to the incoming drone to at least disable it or throw it off course? Bombing the country(s) making and supplying the drones?
Some combination of all these?