Types of Ships

Auxiliary Vessels

Auxiliary vessels are a wide range of non-combat vessels that serve in navies. Though they do not directly engage in combat, they are still vital. Logistical demands require tankers, ammunition, and other supply ships to accompany the fleet. Navies also use specialize training vessels, some still using sailing trainers. Navies also operate oceanographic survey and research vessels. Currently, there have been experiments with sophisticated electronic command and control ships. Minesweepers and minelayers have gradually lost importance, although some new ships remain.

Battleship

The battleship was the dominant warship until World War II, when it was superseded by the Aircraft Carrier (See Aircraft Carrier). Perhaps the first was La Gloire (See ). The modern battleship came into being during the 1870's as a distinct class, the most powerful class of warship afloat at the time. They were valued as a symbol of national power and navies focused on their development, building bigger and more powerful ships. By the early 20th century, the standard form of the ship was set, a huge armored hull with a superstructure and massive guns in the center behind and in front of the superstructure. Speed and maneuverability also improved, some ships going as fast as 32 knots. During World War I, the submarine proved unable to dethrone the battleship and their development continued until the construction of the Yamato, a giant Japanese ship displacing 73,000 tons and still going at 27 knots. The biggest battleship of all time was sunk during the final days of the Second World War.

Cruiser

The cruiser was originally the name of fast sailing warships that were used as scouts. By the dawn of the modern era, the end of the 19th century, cruisers came to mean a class under the battleship (See above). They had heavy guns and armor and participated in most major engagements. However, unlike the battleship, the cruiser did not lose dominance after the Second World War. Instead, they evolved from heavily gunned warships to missile carriers. Cruisers now serve as launch platforms for missiles. Cruisers are no longer armored. They also carry antisubmarine weapons. Cruisers are often used to shield a carrier formation or launching missiles at far away naval or land targets.

Destroyer

Modern destroyers emerged from a class of torpedo-boat destroyers in the late 19th century. Destroyers range in size from a few hundred tons to a few thousand tons. Armament included torpedo tubes and smaller guns, although today's destroyers are armed mainly with missiles. ASW(anti-submarine warfare) destroyers are armed with depth charges and sensors to detect submarines. Destroyers today still have guns. The distinction between a destroyer, cruiser, and the smaller frigates and corvettes have been replaced with classification by specialty, such as ASW ship, missile ship, etc. However, the classic system of classification still persists.

Fast Attack Craft

Fast attack boats are fast patrol craft, stemming from the PT boats of World War II. PT boats were heavily armed with cannons and torpedoes. Heavily armed light boats proved capable of destroying the largest warships and so they were adopted. However, the destroyer (See above) eventually replaced it. With advances in propulsion, faster speeds became possible and fast attack boats returned to the scene. Today's fast attack craft are coastal and inland patrol and raiding ships armed with guided missiles and cannon, traveling at up to 60 knots.

Submarine

The submarine emerged in World War I as a merchant raider, but its role has been greatly increased in later years. Today, submarines carrying ballistic and cruise missiles that can strike at land and sea targets over a range of thousands of kilometers are considered capital ships. The virtually unlimited range of nuclear submarines make them much more versatile than their predecessors. They have also retained their historic role as commerce raider, but also have the capability to attack the largest of capital ships. Improved methods of fighting submarines has also lead to improvemetns in submarines themselves. Today's submarines are stealthier then their ancestors.