I believe he is saying something like:
Weapons for the last war may not be effective in this one. (eg tanks not used much in AFG)
However, this does not mean that a tank is ineffective. It could still ruin your afternoon.
And the bit about the missiles, I'm guessing, is that they transcend physical limitations on certain weapon platforms. Eg no sea in the desert, RN not much use with ships. Tomahawk though doesn't care too much about what it overflies, so the RN do have a part to play.