Warship
Warships are armed naval fighting ships that range from small vessels to giant ships. The earliest known warships--called galleys by the Egyptians and Greeks--sailed nearly 3,000 years ago. They were long open warships that used square shaped sails and 40-foot (12.2 m) oars to move through the water. Extended from the ship's bow was a long sharp point for ramming enemy ships. Shields made of animal hide or other material covered the sides to protect the slaves who manned the oars. The Assyrians, Greeks, and Romans (who developed three-tiered versions called triremes) used these vessels successfully in their battles.
In the Middle Ages the Vikings developed the drakkar, or long boat. These ships had a tall stern and bow and their sides were protected by shields. They were not only much lighter than the galleys, but were also stronger and more maneuverable. By 1000 a.d., the drakkars ruled their part of the world. In the late 1400s and 1500s, explorations of the New World required heavier vessels. King Henry VIII of England developed a galleon from an existing Italian armed merchant vessel; its distinguishing feature was a large, raised deck at the rear, with holes in its sides for several large guns. The Spanish galleon was used to transport gold from the Americas, but it was extremely poor at maneuvering, a fact that led to England's destruction of the Spanish Armada in 1588. The design of warships of the era were based on cargo vessels; the British built the first war frigate in 1652, the Constant Warwick, a ship 90 feet (27.4 m) long carrying 42 guns.
Three inventions in the 1800s revolutionized warfare at sea. The first was the steam engine, which freed ships from their dependence on wind and increased maneuverability. The second was the introduction of iron and steel as armor to protect the ship's hull. These "ironclads" were used in 1862 during the American Civil War, when the Confederate Navy's Merrimack fought the Union's Monitor. The third invention was John Ericsson's pivoting turret, used aboard the Monitor, a device that allowed cannons and other large artillery to rotate in all directions.
In 1906, England launched a warship that became the prototype for battleships of the twentieth century. This was the Dreadnought--a very heavily armored vessel guarded by ten 12-inch (30.5 cm) guns, and powered for the first time by steam turbines, which made her the fastest battleship afloat. By 1915, battleships could fire 15-inch (38.1 cm) shells weighing nearly 1900 pounds (861.8 kg) a distance of 20 miles (32.2 km). Other types of warships were created to support these massive craft. The battle cruiser, for example, was smaller and had less armor than battleships, but it was faster and had a greater cruising range. The destroyer was developed to protect the big ships against small torpedo boats and, later, against the submarines.
During World War II, naval engineers came up with amphibious boats. These were landing craft with shallow drafts and large hinged doors that could put armored vehicles, trucks, supplies, and soldiers ashore. Some of these were given chain treads much like those on tanks so they could crawl over reefs and even move up the beach after landing. The aircraft carrier also debuted in World War II. This type of warship had actually been around since 1919, when the English built flight decks on an old battleship and a steamship.
Following World War II, the traditional multi-ton battleship gave away to sleek nuclear-powered vessels. Less glamorous ships are also part of modern naval warfare. Minesweepers are used to clear waters for friendly vessels. Missile boats are speedy craft that can attack much larger ships with guided missiles. Patrol boats,small and maneuverable, are used to carry torpedoes against enemy ships.
Perhaps the most technologically advanced warships of the late 1990s are manufactured in England. EnglandŐs Sea Wraith ships are designed with a slew of features that allow the ship to hide from and confuse enemy radar. Sea Wraiths can change the size and shape of their radar images by raising or lowering retractable reflectors. To baffle heat-seeking missiles, these ships can surround themselves with an artificial fog bank which cancels out their heat radiation. And to foil infrared sensors which identify heat emissions from a shipŐs engines, the Sea Wraith uses a low-heat diesel-electric fuel drive.
A new warship propulsion system was under development by American shipbuilders in the late 1990s. It is an electric system that uses a magnet-driven motor. A series of high-density, high-powered magnets mounted in the motor spin the shaft and screw. The magnets are lighter and cleaner than conventional or nuclear power sources, and they take up less room. With a smaller motor, ship builders have more options in designing other parts of the warship, so that ships using this propulsion system could carry more cargo or more weapons.
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