European Nazi Empire, Germany and Italy, showed a coincidence of interests on many issues. Was no exception and the construction of a naval fleet. Both the “leader” — Hitler and Mussolini — were eager to have powerful ships in the greatest possible number. But “nepredstavleniem” classes — in particular, the escort forces paid no attention. Both powers entered into world conflict with virtually complete absence of specialized combat vessels suitable for convoy and anti-submarine warfare.
THE “STEPCHILD” OF THE FLEETS OF HITLER AND MUSSOLINI
It would seem that Imperial Japan was preparing for an inevitable clash with their enemies very carefully. Why are only plans to capture the Philippines, Singapore, various Pacific Islands, is gorgeously designed and, despite their riskiness, successfully implemented. However, Navy staff and command of the combined fleet knew all this was good only for “lightning” war. The outcome of prolonged confrontation with the United States is not in doubt — the Japanese economy could not compete with the us, that sooner or later would inevitably have led the descendants of the samurai to a heavy defeat.
No prior war had given such a diverse experience of sea action as the first world. Never before has combat experience has not been studied so carefully. And never before this experience is not done the conclusions so contradictory.
Far from the flares in Europe, the war, even the Americans in 1940 still did not think about creating your own escort destroyers. They continued to build its “big fleet”, which included a huge number of destroyers: believed that these versatile ships will be able to solve all the problems. As for specialized anti-submarine defense forces, have refused them for financial reasons: inexperienced designers managed to create a kind of “miracle of technology”, which had a displacement of just 775 tonnes, but that cost almost as much as a full 1850-ton destroyer of the “Benson”-“Glows”! It is not surprising that the squadron destroyers and favored.
When February 10, 1904 Japan officially declared war on Russia, first shots have already sounded: the Russian ships were suddenly attacked at Port Arthur and Chemulpo neutral. Initial successes provided the insidious attack that has caused some neglect to a completely new and, at that time still very primitive tool like submarines. Contributed messages agents. So, the captain of 1 rank Kaburagi reported the results of its mandated mission – to see the small submarines. Designed for deployment on ships, in these terms: “Personally inspected submarines; consider them to be quackery and absolutely not fit for fighting”. However, this opinion is quite clear: it refers to the miniature submarines.
The views of Americans on submarines before the First world war was somewhat different from those in European fleets. Overseas shipbuilders in those “baby” years of development of submarine fleets subdivided future of the submarine on the defensive and the ocean, or “Navy”. The main tasks for the first expected linear attack enemy forces that supposedly can attack the ports of the Atlantic coast. Unlike Europe, to block the vast sea of space mines was not possible, so the boats could really become an important component of coastal defense.
In the summer of 1971 the calm waters of the North sea became the scene of very interesting events. On 6 July the Bay of the Firth of forth, the two venerable British ship, once very similar to each other and belong to the same class destroyers. Now only one of them, “cava-lier”, preserved obligatiry. The second, which bore the significant name of “Rapid” (“Fast”), apparently has little resembled its close relative. Extensive superstructure from side to side occupied almost a quarter of the length of the body, which is due this visually seemed much higher and more massive than in “Cavalier”. The weapons looked more than modest — only the stern was visible coaxial gun mount, stared too serious by the impressive lattice masts and numerous radars.
The superiority of the American fleet at sea after the Second world war was so undisputed that the creation of new warships, with the exception of aircraft carriers for the United States look out of date. Even with the advent of the only potential rival — the Soviet Union — high-speed submarines (first new diesel and then nuclear) not only changed the situation. At the disposal of the American admirals had bend pretty new destroyers, which were redirected to the new challenges. One of the most ambitious in the history of fleet upgrades — FRAM (Fleet Rehabilitation And Modernisation programme restoration and modernisation of the fleet) the ships of the PLO became more than 130 destroyers “Fletcher”, “Gearing” and “Allen M. Sumner” (see “modelist-Konstruktor” No. 8 in 2002). Updated the ships it provided the needs of the escort and anti-submarine service in the decade ahead.
If the United States and England after the Second world war had to think about a reasonable reduction of their naval forces, the main Mediterranean-sea powers, France and Italy, tormented by a completely different headache. Despite the fact that one of these countries were in the ranks of the winners and the other losers among, the problems they had about the same. In the fire of war is almost completely burned both of the once mighty fleet. As soon as the economy managed to overcome the destruction of the war, there has been a strong recovery of the French and Italian fleets. This situation largely contributed to the more rapid renewal of all classes of warships, including the escort.
The mid 50-ies of XX century marked the beginning of the end of British naval power. Powerful, but not conformed to the new reality fighting ships of world war II were annually given up on scrapping dozens. The size of the fleet decreased with great speed: to build new frigates are only marginally influenced this sad for the pride of the nation process.