Naval artillery
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Naval artillery or naval rifles refers to warship-mounted cannon used in naval warfare for attacking other vessels, bombarding targets on shore (naval gunfire support), or for anti-aircraft. Conversely, the term may be used as a descriptor about the naval rifles used in land batteries for anti-shipping area denial purposes. Smaller-bore cannons are sometimes referred to as "deck guns", such as on Coast Guard cutters and destroyers.
The crowning achievement of naval artillery was the Dreadnought-era battleship. The dominance of the modern battleship was from about 1906 to the end of the Second World War during which typical main armament rose from 12 inch guns to 15 or 16 inches (406mm) with consequent increase in range and shell firepower. The largest naval guns ever mounted were the 18.1 inch (460mm) guns used on the Japanese Yamato class battleships, firing a 1460 kilogram projectile to a maximum range of 42,000 meters.
The limitations to the range of the battleships' heavy guns meant that they were effectively replaced by the naval aircraft. The secondary and anti-aircraft weapons have fallen to the range and flexibility of guided missiles and naval guns have been reduced in importance though never completely replaced. Modern warships such as destroyers and frigates are typically only armed with one or two naval guns. The USN uses a single modern gun, the Mark 45 127mm/54 caliber for its destroyers and cruisers. Newer Arleigh Burke class destroyers employ a 62-caliber version of this weapon. The new Zumwalt (DDG-1000) class destroyers will be equipped with a new 6.1"/62 caliber Advanced Gun System designed to reduce the detectability of the warship while increasing the firepower that can be brought to bear on-target.
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