The most powerful ship... ...in the WORLD.

The original proposal for the arsenal ship was really just a truck. Not even advanced radars since they would rely upon other ship Aegis systems, reduced crew (in one case I read 40 men). You go to the launch point, press da big red button, wipe out the North Korean (or whatever enemy is in vogue today) fleet and abandon the ship.

Well then, get an old, 2nd hand container carrier, load up on missile canisters, and you're good to go...


I do not know this ship... :confused:
 

Saphroneth

Banned
I do not know this ship... :confused:
It's a fan-ship - that is, a relationSHIP between two fictional characters. In this case it's Naruto and Hinata from the Naruto manga.





What would count as the most powerful ship during Roman times? Is it the biggest, or does their lack of maneuverability hamper that such that a smaller and handier ship is considered individually superior?
 
It's a fan-ship - that is, a relationSHIP between two fictional characters. In this case it's Naruto and Hinata from the Naruto manga.





What would count as the most powerful ship during Roman times? Is it the biggest, or does their lack of maneuverability hamper that such that a smaller and handier ship is considered individually superior?

Didnt Cleopatra build a massive fleet of hulking triemes that the Romans merrily slaughtered with far more agile ships? And the Persian and Greek ships were probably equal yet tactical handling and storms handed the Greeks shattering victories.

German and Gothic pirates played merry hell against Roman shipping and coasts despite being rather crudely equipped compared to the Roman Navy.

All in all I think the classical world's ships were near irrelvent compared to the tactics they used and strategic situation.
 

Redbeard

Banned
One, the destroyers had the radars, even if the escorts did not. Two, as long as enough 5" hits, it's going to hurt, especially when the opposing ships upper works are festooned with large canisters of pure oxygen attached to large warheads. Three, part of that action involved the destroyers firing out of a rain squall - you don't need too much rough weather for the obstruction to tell. Four, how do you think you fire accurately through a smoke screen. Five, the Japanese were "confused" to the tune of three busted heavy cruisers, almost entirely due to the guns, torpedoes, and aircraft of the Taffy 3 task forces.

If the guns hit, they can allow destroyers to cut heavy cruisers. You can compare gun calibres all day long, but if they can't hit, they are nothing. The Iowa was leagues ahead of the fire control arrangements of its peers. Heck, you could argue that the fire control systems could allow the South Dakotas and the North Carolinas to have inflicted serious damage on Yamato, as the US ships can maneuver evasively whilst firing accurately.


That still doesn't make the possible use of radar directed 5" fire from max three of the present USN ships (the three Fletchers) a distinct advantage in this battle. The IJN would have had trouble ranging on ANY bold destroyer force - radar or not. The threat to the IJN force was not the 5" fire, however annoying it was, but that torpedoarmed destoyers and DEs closed within torpedorange.

It is still hotly debated if that was valid reason to turn around, you can argue that the IJN here lost its last chance to play a decisive role and the ships saved at Samar only could look forward to being lost in engagements without a decisive potential.
 
The most powerful ship in the world ? huumm hard to answer.
In terms of pure firepower the (ex) Kirov-class (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirov-class_battlecruiser) is IMO the most powerful ship actually in service.
They simply have too much missile for leaving a chance to ANY ennemy ships. Our poor FREMM can only launch a salvo of 4 to 8 missile. Ridiculous against Kirov-class.
In fact I think that actually two Kirov-class could wipe ALL my national Fleet (La Royale :D) with maximum one loss.

Of course while certainly afloat, under their own power is somewhat optional given they don't leave port without a tug in case they break down.
 
By late WW2 the US was able to straddle at very long range. This is a major advantage since a hit at very long range will by definition do pretty horrible plunging damage, and against a non-RADAR opponent it is essentially an immune zone.

That is quite irrelevant, as the maximum gunrange is already inferior to more likely threats by then, submarine and air weapons, against which the BB has no real defense of her own, other than the ability to soak up damage as good as possible. It was too little far too late in technology, already obsolete, as much as the BB itself.
 
The 74 gun 3rd rate ship of the line is also a likely candidate, since it was the mainstay of most larger navies in the 18th and early 19th centuries, forming the main force of any batltefleet in that period of history. OK, larger 1st and 2nd rates carrierd more guns, but lacked the seaworthyness and agility of the more ballanced 74 gunner. A well commanded 74 was more than a match for any ship of the line, as quite often was shown in the Napoleontic naval battles.
 
HMS Vanguard, especially in a storm where there hulls would give them an advantage over an Iowa (American crews were often jealous of the dryness of that ships crew) plus excellent guns.
 

Redbeard

Banned
That is quite irrelevant, as the maximum gunrange is already inferior to more likely threats by then, submarine and air weapons, against which the BB has no real defense of her own, other than the ability to soak up damage as good as possible. It was too little far too late in technology, already obsolete, as much as the BB itself.

Yes, and on top of that straddling at long range also means a larger dispersion - ie. fewer hits. Short of some magazine igniting lucky hits it simply was uncertain (at best) that an enemy capital ship could be defeated with long range gunnery without replenishment of the ammostock.

Stradling is not the same as effective gunnery, but only marks the time you go from ranging shots to fire for effect. Guns with an inbuilt large dispersion actualy are likely to achieve the straddle before a more accurate gun as its salvo/straddle is larger, but it may take a long time before it achieves a hit.

USN had significant dispersion problems with their large guns (8" and up) in the first decades of 20th century, especially the 14"/50, but by WWII it had been reduced to acceptable proportions by various means, incl. a reduction in MV. Most USN heavy guns never excelled in this respect however, not compared to "masters" like the RN 15"/38 (QE, R and BCs) or the 14"/45 (KGV class) - all relatively low MV guns. The 16"/45 in Nelson class initially had serious dispersion problems, but a reduction in MV also reduced the dispersion, almost to 14/15" level.
 
I cant believe this hasn't gotten posted yet, but for its time the Mary Rose was doubtlessly the most powerful ship afloat. It was the world first real gun ship (had proper gunports and could fire a broadside). Prior to it ships would still primaily ram each other or try to board each other in order to sink or capture the enemy.

A good documentary that mentions her advancements is: Engineering an Empire- Britian: Blood & Steel

It has Peter Weller as host which is cool as well.
 
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