Capital Ships: A Historical Perspective
Abstract
The 'capital ship of the fleet' drove the operational employment of naval forces. Strength in capital ships equated to the strength of the maritime nation. This paper traces the historical development of capital ships and their profound impact on naval strategy. The discussion begins with sailing ships, proceeds to battleships and then to aircraft carriers. The transition from battleship to aircraft carrier marks a new era in capital ship utilization. Driven by advancements in technology and the requirement to maintain a strong naval presence, versatility makes the aircraft carrier the capital ship of choice. A conclusion is drawn that a credible naval force must possess strong numbers of capital ships. The use of a capital ship force is discussed along with possible strategic risks caused by economic reductions in the number of capital ships or by physical reductions in capital ship numbers caused by enemy action. Emphasis is placed on maintaining a perception of a powerful naval threat through judicious employment strategies. Finally, a shift to a new naval doctrine is proposed where decisive naval battles between capital ships still occur, but the enemy's capital ship is viewed as either: sea or land based forces, enemy centers of gravity, or U.S. national policy objectives....Capital ship, Battleship, Aircraft carrier, Gun, Aircraft, Employment, Mahan, Strategy, World War II, Maritime
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 17, 1993
- Accession Number
- ADA266915
Entities
People
- John L. Fleming
Organizations
- Naval War College