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Naval Armament

Armament is the gage by which the offensive power of a ship is measured. Normally we think of armament as meaning guns, torpedoes, missiles, etc. Depending on the ship’s mission, however, the term also includes aircraft used for offensive purposes and landing craft suitable for amphibious operations.

Most Navy ships are equipped with some type of weapons. These include guns, rockets, missiles, depth charges, and aircraft. These weapons are the armament that a ship carries in order to fight off or attack an enemy. The armament depends upon the ship’s mission and the type of category of the ship. A warship would be equipped with armament of various sizes while a service ship usually has no armament.

Warships are classified as combatants. These fighting ships are built mainly for defense and to attack an enemy by using gunfire, missiles, torpedoes, and other weapons. Included in this category of combatant ships is the aircraft carrier. It carriers, launches, and handles aircraft quickly and effectively.

The aircraft carrier is an excellent long-range offensive weapon. She is the center of a modern naval task force which is a group of ships with a common under one command. The aircraft carrier has replaced the battleship which originally was the largest and most powerful ship ever built.

Another combatant ship is a cruiser. Cruisers are medium-sized warships capable of long-range cruising and high speed. They are used to accompany or escort aircraft carriers and to act as leaders in attacks against an enemy. Cruisers also support amphibious operations which put fighting personnel and equipment on enemy-held land. Cruisers are designated and those with nuclear-powered engines are CGN.

Destroyers are multipurpose ships that are used in almost any kind of naval operation. These combatant ships are smaller than cruisers, but have little or no armor on them as cruisers do. Destroyers depend on their maneuverability and speed to be effective. Their armament consists of         5 inch guns, a variety of antisubmarine weapons, and guided missiles.

The U.S. Navy has again adopted the classification frigate for ships. In the 1800s frigates were an important part of the Navy sailing fleet. Today these combatant ships are designated to operate offensively against submarines. They are equipped for antisubmarine warfare with torpedoes and missiles. Frigates are also used for oceangoing escort duty.

A submarine is a combatant ship that operates primarily underwater. It has become one of the most important weapons in naval warfare. Originally, a submarine’s primary mission was to scout, locate, and then sink enemy surface ships. Now, however, a submarine can launch attacks against targets ashore as well as combat enemy ships. The submarine is a nuclear-powered, high speed vessel. Submarines are referred to as “boats” by Navy personnel, never as ships. Nuclear boats can operate at depths of more than 400feet, stay submerged for months, and travel at speeds faster than 20 knots.

For land and sea operations the U.S. Navy uses amphibious warfare ships. These combatants can put thousands of personnel and tons of equipment and supplies on enemy-held shores. One type of ship is the amphibious transport dock. This warship can carry troops and all their equipment to an invasion area. To carry troops ashore, landing craft can be launched through large openings in the stern while the ship is underway or dead in the water. The U.S. Navy also uses patrol combatant ships. There are two categories or groups of these ships, patrol and guided missile patrol. A patrol combatant is gunboat capable of patrolling and keeping watch even in shallow water near shore. The main engine in a patrol combatant ship is a combination diesel and gas turbine which gives the ship both high speed and long cruising range.

The guided missile patrol combatant (hydrofoil) is a new class of patrol ship designed to “fly” in the water. Submerged foils attached to the bottom of the hull lift it from the water, causing the ship to reach such high speeds that it appears to fly over the water.

The effectiveness of the Navy depends to a great extent on the quantity and type of auxiliary ships it possesses. Some auxiliary ships back up or support combatant ships. They furnish vital supplies such as fuel, ammunition, food, freshwater, etc. Other auxiliary ships are designed especially for towing or pulling disabled vessels, salvaging materials and equipment from sunken ships, and rescue-type operations.

Among the hardest working ships in the Navy are the various service craft. For the most part these working ships are unarmed. They are utility ships and boats that serve in ports and harbors. They include floating docks where ships are repaired. These service ships are tenders which provide medical aid, religious services, and recreation.