The fate of this Ship is yet another example of the vulnrability of Warships.
Go back to the start of World War 2 when the 'stringbag' Fairy Swordfish, a Biplane, each carrying one Torpedo, already obsolete by then, flying from a carrier destroyed the Italian Fleet at Taranto.
This example was not lost on Japan who went on to plan the attack on Pearl Harbour.
Meanwhile the Fairy's had damaged Bismark in the Atlantic, sufficiently to enable the British Fleet to catch up and sink her.
Japan later sank the Battleship HMS Prince of Wales using Bombers.
So the Battleship was no more.
Then came the advent of Missiles.
We were relatively lucky in The Falklands, but it was a close run thing it seems.
And now we have the Russian Flagship, Pride of the Fleet, sent to the bottom by a missile, (alledgedly), fired by w much weaker Nation
in terms of both numbers and equipement.
There is a lesson here for Mr Putin, should he contemplate attacks on Finland AND Sweden.
The important tool now, at least as far as Sea Power is concerned, is the Anti-Missile, Missile.
This is what willl, (Might?) protect your ships.
Given how much our two latest Aircraft Carriers have cost I hope it's a lesson we have already learned.
And if we return to the title of this thread, WW3 How Close?
Then my answer is further away, because Tanks appear to be of limited value as do Ships.
So if any Country is going to start WW3, and hope to win, it needs have a range of missiles AND Nuclear Warheads, AND be prepared to use them AND be prepared to have these used against themselves as well.