The destroyer emerged as a warship type at the end of the 19th century. At that time, the term destroyer was applied to small, fast ships used to defend battleships from torpedo boat attack. When they were first developed, in the 1890s, destroyers were, in fact, called torpedo-boat destroyers. However, by World War I, their mission had changed from that of countering torpedo boats to serving as platforms for launching torpedoes. They were also typically sent ahead of the battle fleet to serve as its eyes and ears and to defeat, using guns, enemy destroyers. Once the opponent's destroyers were neutralized, the attacking destroyers would switch from deck guns to torpedoes to attack such capital ships as battleships and cruisers.

Before the end of World War I, the submarine had evolved into the principal torpedo-launching vessel, and so the primary role of the destroyer changed again. The vessels were fitted with antisubmarine warfare systems, including hydrophones and depth charges, and were assigned to escort merchant ship convoys and battle fleets, defending them against submarine attack. This antisubmarine escort role was carried over into World War II, but the destroyer mission by that time was also augmented to include antiaircraft (AA) defense. The ships were equipped with radar and antiaircraft guns.

Before the United States entered World War II, the British, their convoys under devastating submarine attack, were in desperate need of destroyers. President Franklin D. Roosevelt concluded the Lend-Lease Act, which traded World War I-era American destroyers for the use of British naval bases in the Western Hemisphere. Before and during World War II, the United States developed 14 major classes of destroyers. . .

Free term papers are not written to satisfy your specific instructions. You can use our professional writing services to buy a custom written research paper, term paper, or essay on Military Topics at affordable price. CustomTermPapers is the best solution for those who seek help in writing term papers, essays, and research papers related to Military Topics and other relevant topics.