Once upon a time (over 100 years ago), all the naval powers were building bigger and bigger warships with more armor and bigger guns. They got pre-dreadnught which were approaching 7000~8000 tons by the 1880s. ************************************************************* Noticeable battle with pre-dreadnught involved were the First Sino-Japanese War in 1895. The Imperial Chinese fleet had two pre-dreadnught weighted over 7,000 tons each. The specs of one of their pre-dreadnught "Dingyuan": Displacement: 7,144 long tons (7,259 t) standard 7,355 long tons (7,473 t) full load Length: 94.5 m (310 ft 0 in) Beam: 18.4 m (60 ft 4 in) Draught: 5.94 m (19 ft 6 in) Propulsion: 2-shaft reciprocating triple expansion steam engine, 7,500 shp 2 boilers 1,000 tons coal Speed: 15.4 knots (17.7 mph; 28.5 km/h) Range: 4,500 nmi (8,300 km) at 10 kn (12 mph; 19 km/h) Complement: 363 Armament: 4 × 305 mm (12 in) guns 2 × 150 mm (6 in) guns 2 × 57 mm guns 2 × 47 mm guns 8 × 37 mm guns 3 × 14 in (356 mm) torpedo tubes Armour: Belt: 355 mm (14 in) Barbettes 305 mm (12 in) *********************************************************** By the beginning of the 20th century, bigger dreadnught ships succeeded the pre-dreadnught. One example is the British HMS Dreadnought: Displacement: 18,120 long tons (18,410 t) (normal load) 20,730 long tons (21,060 t) (deep load) Length: 527 ft (160.6 m) Beam: 82 ft 1 in (25.0 m) Draught: 29 ft 7.5 in (9.0 m) (deep load) Installed power: 23,000 shp (17,000 kW) 18 Babcock & Wilcox water-tube boilers Propulsion: 4 shafts Parsons direct-drive steam turbines Speed: 21 knots (39 km/h; 24 mph) Range: 6,620 nautical miles (12,260 km; 7,620 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) Complement: 700–810 Armament: 5 × twin BL 12-inch Mark X guns 27 × single 12-pdr 18 cwt Mark I guns 5 × 18-inch (450 mm) torpedo tubes Armour: Belt: 4–11 in (102–279 mm) Deck: 0.75–3 in (19–76 mm) Barbettes: 4–11 in (102–279 mm) Turrets: 3–12 in (76–305 mm) Conning tower: 11 in (279 mm) Bulkheads: 8 in (203 mm) *********************************************************** During WWII, battleships had reached the size of 60,000~70,000 tons. One example is Japanese imperial navy's Yamoto class battleships: Displacement: 68,200 long tons (69,300 t) trial 69,988 long tons (71,111 t) standard[2] 72,000 long tons (73,000 t) full load.[2] Length: 256 m (839 ft 11 in) at water-line[3] 263 m (862 ft 10 in) overall[3] Beam: 38.9 m (127 ft 7 in)[3] Draught: 10.4 m (34 ft 1 in) Propulsion: 12 Kanpon boilers, driving 4 steam turbines 150,000 shp (110 MW)[3] four 3-bladed propellers, 6 m (19 ft 8 in) diameter Speed: 27 knots (50 km/h)[3] Endurance: 7,200 nautical miles @ 16 knots (13,300 km @ 30 km/h)[3] Complement: 2,767[4] Armament: As built: 9 x 46.0 cm (18.1 in) guns (3×3).[2] 12 × 15.5 cm (6.1 in) guns (4×3).[2] 12 × 12.7 cm (5 in) guns (6×2).[2] 24 × 25 mm (0.98 in) AA guns (8×3) 4 × 13.2 mm (0.52 in) AA guns (2×2)[5] Armor: 650 mm (26 in) on face of main turrets[5] 410 mm (16 in) side armor (400 mm (16 in) on Musashi),[5] inclined 20 degrees 200 mm (8 in) armored deck (75%) 230 mm (9 in) armored deck (25%)[5] Aircraft carried: 4 Aichi E13A, 3 Mitsubishi F1M 2 catapults (Yamato, Musashi) 47 aircraft (Shinano) ************************************************************ After WWII, it was decided that large battleships are no longer useful with the threat from air. Carriers had taken the role as capital ships. Battleships were abandoned in favor of small destroyers. Modern day navies' principle major surface combat ships are always the destroyers. Modern destroyers are armed with the most advanced radar systems, anti-ship missiles, anti-aircraft missiles, as well as CIWS for defense against missiles. ================== However, modern day destroyers are increasing in size. WWII destroyers were no more than 2,000~3,000 tons. Today, we have American Arleigh Burke-class destroyer weights over 9,000 tons full loaded. (carry 90-cell vertical launch system) Chinese Type 052D destroyer weights 7,500 tons full loaded. (carry 64-cell vertical launch system) Both ships are the size equal or beyond pre-dreadnught. They probably wouldn't even be called 'destroyers' by old standard due to their size. Before everyone thinks the size of ships are going "the bigger the better" again, take a look at some of the other newly mass produced warships. Chinese Type 022 missile boats, weights only 220-ton with a crew of only 12. Despite the small size, it has anti-ship missiles, cruise missiles, and anti-aircraft missiles. It even has a CIWS (Close In Weapon System). Even the full size destroyers has only a single CIWS for defense against incoming missiles. Basically the tiny missile boat "has it all"...although it carries less missiles than a full sized destroyer. But it is CHEAP. China has mass produced over 80 of these missiles boats with more on the order. Do you think small but well armed missile boats like Type 022 can win a battle against full sized destroyers? Of course I am not talking about 1 on 1. One Type 022 missile boat cost only around $40 million to build with a crew of 12. One Arleigh Burke-class destroyer cost over $1.8 billion to build with a crew of over 300. For the cost of a single American Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, the Chinese can build over 40 Type 022 missile boats. Although 40 Type 022 will require more total crew than a single destroyer, but can a single destroyer of Burke-class take on 40 or more Type 022 at the same time? Does it have enough anti-ship missiles to take them all out while defend against over 300 anti-ship missiles from those 40 type 022? The U.S. navy ordered total 75 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, and so far 62 has been completed. The Chinese has only ordered 12 Type 052D destroyers with only 4 completed so far, but they have completed over 80 Type 022 missile boats in a very short time. Somehow I feel like it's Galaxy Class starship vs. Defiance class warship lol...
