Figure 1.--

The principal naval platfprm was the same as had always been the case--ships. We deal with ships above. World War II added a second important platform for projecting naval powe--airplane. We also addrrss this topic above. The fighting ships of the various navies are essentially gun plaforms for various types of naval artillery. Both were platforms for weaponry. Before World War I, naval planners had decided that what ws important were the large naval guns, resulting in HMS Dreadnoughts and the battle ships of World War I. After the War, however. naval designers saw the need for large mumbers of small guns as a result of the need for anti-aitcraft armament. This need was amplified by combat experience during the war. Another World War I innovation was the torpedo which became a major weapon system, giving small ships without big guns the ability to sink capital ships. They were carried by both surface ships and submarimnes as well as aircraft. In adittion to guns, naval shops also carried anti-sunmarine warfare (ASW) weapons. The most iomportant was the depth charge used in World War I. They were suplemented durung the War by the hedgehog. Another important naval weaoon system is mines. Naval mines played an important role in World War II although not as important as World war I. The German seizure of Norway and subsequentky France meant that the British could not create an effective North Sea mine barrier to restrict U-boat opeations as they did in World War I. Both the Germans and British used mines in the Battle of the Atlantic. The Germans devised some novel minds, but they were quickly countered by the British. The Americans used mine to tighten the blockade around the Home Island at the end of the War. Ordinance, the shells fired by naval guns was similar in many way to Workd War I. An important development which greatly assisted the U.S. Navy was improvements in anti-aircraft guns as well as shells with proximity fuses. The rapid firihg Bofar guns significantly improved ship anti-airrcraft capabilities. One major advance by the Allie was the proximity fuse. It was at first only used in the Pacific in naval actions to make sure the shell and secret of the fusing could not fall into German hands. Electronics played a major role in the War. Sonar and Radar were the most important of these devices. Sonar or ASDIC was invented by the British during Wotld War I and became a key element in anti-submarine warfare (ASW) operations The British were surprised to find that their SONAR was not very effective against the new advanced German U-boats. Another electronic device that reached the Pacific Fleet just as the War began was Radar. The British developed RADAR to defeand against air ttack. It was soon realized that it had naval aplications. Radar could be used to defend agaunst air attack as originally intended or in ship to ship applications. Radar could locate enemy ships as well as to direct naval gunfire. The cavitron permitited the minurization of radar sets so they coukd be put on all ships as well as eventually even on aircraft. And American had the manufacturing ability gto produce them in massive numbers. The Japanese failure to develop effective radar technology or to acquire German radar seriously impaired their naval operations.

Naval Platforms

The principal naval platfprm was the same as had always been the case--ships. We deal with ships above. World War II added a second important platform for projecting naval powe--airplane. We also addrrss this topic above. The fighting ships of the various navies are essentially gun plaforms for various types of naval artillery. Both were platforms for weaponry.

Guns

Naval vessels during much of the ancient world were ramming devices. Then naval vessels became platforms to bring armed groups to combat. The arms used were thge same as used for land warfare, arrows, swords, and spears. The Greeks invented a b=new weaon, Greek fire. As soon as guns were developed, naval vessels became gun platform. Te seas were became dominated by vannon. Here the Enbglish Royal Navy became the most efficent. This was a major factor in such a small country on the perifert=y of Europe becaoming the most powerful ciuntry in the world with a huge empire. Before World War I, naval planners had decided that what ws important were the large naval guns, resulting in HMS Dreadnought and the battle ships of World War I. At the onset of the War, the big-gun battleships were seen as the capoital ships and the ultumate naval weapon. This concept was shatteed for ever when a Japanese varrier task force struck Pearl Harbor, sinling the battleships of the United States Pacifiuc Fleet. After Pearl Harbor, however, naval designers saw the need for large mumbers of relatively small guns needed for anti-aircraft armament. This need was amplified by combat experience during the war.

Torpedoes

Another World War I innovation was the torpedo which became a major weapon system, giving small ships without big guns the ability to sink capital ships. They were carried by both surface ships and submarimnes as well as aircraft. The Japanese entered thecWar withbthevonkly filly functional topedo. The JApanese Long Lance torpedo contribured to their naval victoriues in the first year if the War.

ASW Weapons

In adittion to guns, naval shops also carried anti-sunmarine warfare (ASW) weapons. The most iomportant was the depth charge developed during World War I. They were suplemented durung the War by the Hedgehog which proved to be a much more effective weapon. Squid was basically the same as Hedgehogg, but with a larger charge. Naval artillery was also important, but rarely would a submsrine come out on top when it had to surface and fight it out. Submasrine deck guns were commonly used against merchant shipping anbd small boats. Aircraft used a ranger of weapons, especially small bombs. Submsrinrs had hen shells and ciukld be seriously danmaged by only a strafing run. Althoughonot a weapon, elkectroniv devices were bery importabnt in getting a U-boat kill, after all finding a submarine was the most difficult part of killing it.

Mines

Another important naval weaoon system is mines. There are three basic types of mines. First, drifting mines are deployed in the water and move with currents. Second, Moored mines are free to move, but are tethered within the limits permitted by some sort of rope and anchor attached to the mine. Third, bottom mines are not designed to move. at all. Mines are laid in different ways. Mines unuil World War II were mostly laid by surface vessels. Submarines began laying mines in World War I, but much larger numbers were laid by World War II submarines. Finally in World War II, aircraft began laying mines in substantial numbers. Mines also vary as to how they detonate. Contact mines are denotared when they phu=yicall contact a vessel. Influence mines are detonated without physical contacr. Rather they are influenced by magnetic, acoustic, or pressure fields. Controlled mines are detonated from a shore station. They are designed as both offensive or defensive weapons. Mine were generally see as a defendive weapon, but in the hanbds of the AZnericans anf Germans became an offensive weapon. Many were laid as part of coastal defenses, but many thousands were also laid in enemy waters as an offensive weapon. This was primarily to cut Britain and Japan off from international commerce. Naval mines played an important role in World War II although not as important as in World War I when the Brutish effectively bottled up the Germans in the North Sea. The German seizure of Norway and subsequentky France (1940) meant that the British could not create an effective North Sea mine barrier to restrict German fleet operatioins and to an extent the U-boats as they did in World War I. Both the Germans and British used mines in the Battle of the Atlantic. The Briutish laid mine fiekls, the Germans were more interested un sewing mines in the sea lanes. The Germans devised some novel minds, but they were quickly countered by the British. Mine swere used in the Baltic and Mediterranean by differebnt navies. The Germazbs layed mines in the English Channel to little effect. The Americans were the ciuntry that moist effectively used mines, primarily in the Pacific. Mines could be laid by both surface ships abd submarines in addition to aircraft. The German Luftwaffe laid some mines. It was primarily the Unired States wwith its huge air foirce that had the ability to lay mines by ircraft in any numbers. It used mines to tighten the blockade around the Home Island at the end of the War. U.S. aircraft laid more than 12,000 mines in Japanese shipping routes and harbor approaches, sinking roughly 650 Japanese ships and disrupting all of their maritime shipping. They proived to be a major problem after the War.

Ordinance

Ordinance, the shells fired by naval guns was similar in many way to Workd War I. An important development which greatly assisted the U.S. Navy was improvements in anti-aircraft guns as well as shells with proximity fuses. The rapid firihg Bofar guns significantly improved ship anti-airrcraft capabilities. One major advance by the Allie was the proximity fuse. It was at first only used in the Pacific in naval actions to make sure the shell and secret of the fusing could not fall into German hands.

Electronic Equipment

Electronics played a major role in the War. Sonar and Radar were the most important of these devices. Sonar or ASDIC was invented by the British during Wotld War I and became a key element in anti-submarine warfare (ASW) operations The British were surprised to find that their SONAR was not very effective against the new advanced German U-boats. Another electronic device that reached the Pacific Fleet just as the War began was Radar. The British developed RADAR to defeand against air ttack. It was soon realized that it had naval aplications. Radar could be used to defend agaunst air attack as originally intended or in ship to ship applications. Radar could locate enemy ships as well as to direct naval gunfire. The cavitron permitited the minurization of radar sets so they coukd be put on all ships as well as eventually even on aircraft. And American had the manufacturing ability gto produce them in massive numbers. The Japanese failure to develop effective radar technology or to acquire German radar seriously impaired their naval operations.

Created: 3:54 AM 7/10/2012
Last updated: 5:36 AM 9/24/2020