Missile boat
Encyclopedia
Anti-ship missile
Anti-ship missiles are guided missiles that are designed for use against ships and large boats. Most anti-ship missiles are of the sea-skimming type, many use a combination of inertial guidance and radar homing...
s. Being a small craft, missile boats are popular with nations interested in forming an inexpensive navy. They are similar in idea to the torpedo boats of World War II; in fact, the first missile boats were modified torpedo boats replacing two or more torpedo tubes with missile tubes.
The doctrine
Military doctrine
Military doctrine is the concise expression of how military forces contribute to campaigns, major operations, battles, and engagements.It is a guide to action, not hard and fast rules. Doctrine provides a common frame of reference across the military...
behind the use of missile boats is based on the principle of mobility over defence. The advent of proper missile and electronic counter measure
Electronic warfare
Electronic warfare refers to any action involving the use of the electromagnetic spectrum or directed energy to control the spectrum, attack an enemy, or impede enemy assaults via the spectrum. The purpose of electronic warfare is to deny the opponent the advantage of, and ensure friendly...
technologies gave birth to the idea, that because a missile is far more accurate than a shell
Shell (projectile)
A shell is a payload-carrying projectile, which, as opposed to shot, contains an explosive or other filling, though modern usage sometimes includes large solid projectiles properly termed shot . Solid shot may contain a pyrotechnic compound if a tracer or spotting charge is used...
and can penetrate even the most heavily armored ship hulls
Hull (watercraft)
A hull is the watertight body of a ship or boat. Above the hull is the superstructure and/or deckhouse, where present. The line where the hull meets the water surface is called the waterline.The structure of the hull varies depending on the vessel type...
, warships should now be designed to outmaneuver their enemies and get to a better position first. Moreover, increasing the potency of shells requires employing larger projectiles, which necessities larger naval guns and consequently, larger platforms to carry these guns. This trend culminated in the giant battleship
Battleship
A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...
s of WWII
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The ability to deploy anti-ship missiles on small, maneuverable platforms seriously negates the advantages that were provided by larger ships in the era before the advent of guided missiles. A small missile boat, when equipped with sophisticated guided anti-ship missiles can pose a serious threat to even the largest of capital ship
Capital ship
The capital ships of a navy are its most important warships; they generally possess the heaviest firepower and armor and are traditionally much larger than other naval vessels...
s, and do so at much greater ranges than is possible with torpedoes.
History
The first use of missile boats was by the Egyptian Soviet-built Komar classKomar class missile boat
The Soviet Project 183R class, more commonly known by its NATO reporting name Komar, is a class of missile boats, the first of its kind, built in the 1950s and 1960s. They also hold the distinction of being the first ships to sink another ship with anti-ship missiles.- Design :The Project 183 MTB...
craft fire of four SS-N-2 Styx missiles on the Israeli destroyer Eilat
HMS Zealous (R39)
HMS Zealous was a Z-class destroyer of the Royal Navy built in 1944 by Cammell Laird. She served during the Second World War, participating in operations in the North Sea and off the Norwegian coast, before taking part in some of the Arctic convoys...
on October 20 1967, shortly after the Six Day War, causing the latter's sinking with 47 dead.
The first naval missile battles between missile boats occurred between the Israel Navy (using indigenously-developed Gabriel missile
Gabriel missile
Gabriel missiles, created by Israel Aircraft Industries, are a range of anti-ship missiles that use the technique of sea-skimming.- Origin :...
s), and Syrian craft during the October 1973 Yom Kippur War
Yom Kippur War
The Yom Kippur War, Ramadan War or October War , also known as the 1973 Arab-Israeli War and the Fourth Arab-Israeli War, was fought from October 6 to 25, 1973, between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria...
. The first of these engagements became known as the Battle of Latakia
Battle of Latakia
The Battle of Latakia was a small but revolutionary naval battle of the Yom Kippur War, fought on 7 October 1973, between Israel and Syria. It was the first naval battle in history to see combat between surface-to-surface missile-equipped missile boats and the use of electronic deception.At the...
. In these battles, some fifty Gabriels and a similar number of Styx missiles were fired, and seven Arab craft were sunk.
China
- Houbei class (Type 022)Houbei class missile boatThe Houbei class missile boat is a class in the People's Liberation Army Navy. The first boat was launched in April 2004 by the Qiuxin Shipbuilding Factory at Shanghai. The boats incorporate stealth features and wave-piercing catamaran hulls...
, the first combat vessel with a catamaranCatamaranA catamaran is a type of multihulled boat or ship consisting of two hulls, or vakas, joined by some structure, the most basic being a frame, formed of akas...
hull. - Type 037-II class missile boatType 037-II class missile boatThe Type 037-II is a missile equipped corvette built by Huangpu Shipyard of Guangzhou for the People's Liberation Army Navy. A total of six vessels were delivered to the PLA Navy, with one lost in an accident in 2006...
- Type 037-IG class missile boatType 037-IG class missile boatA total of 16 Type 037-1G class missile boat were first built by Qiuxing and Huangpu Shipyard from 1991 through 1999. This class appears to be the successor of Hegu class missile boat for the People's Liberation Army Navy. In addition to the People's Liberation Army Navy, 6 were exported to...
Finland
- Tuima class missile boatTuima class missile boatThe Tuima class missile boat was a class of fast attack craft in use by the Finnish Navy.The vessels were constructed in the Soviet Union and purchased by the Finnish Navy between 1974 and 1975...
-modified version of the Osa class - Helsinki class missile boatHelsinki class missile boatThe Helsinki class missile boats are a type of vessel which were in use by the Finnish Navy. They were the predecessors of the Rauma class missile boats...
- Rauma class missile boatRauma class missile boatThe Rauma class missile boats are a type of vessels in use by the Finnish Navy.It is the predecessor of the Hamina class missile boats. The ships were constructed at the Hollming yards and Finnyards in Rauma, Finland...
- Hamina class missile boatHamina class missile boatThe Hamina class missile boat is a 4-strong class of fast attack craft of the Finnish Navy. Technically they are classified as "missile fast attack craft", ohjusvene, literally "missile boat" in Finnish.-History:...
France
- FACM Class La Combattante IIaFACM Class La Combattante IIaFast Attack Craft Missile Class La Combattante IIa were originally built for the German Navy as Type 148 Tiger class fast attack craft. They were later transferred to Hellenic Navy and the class was renamed Combattante IIa, as with similar French made ships. All the ships were under mid-life...
- built for export - FACM Class La Combattante IIIFACM Class La Combattante IIIFast Attack Craft Missile Class La Combattante III refers to four ships ordered by Greece in September 1974 from France. There are similar to the Fast Attack Craft Missile Class La Combattante IIa, but are bigger and armed with torpedoes...
- built for export
Germany
- Tiger class fast attack craftTiger class fast attack craftThe Type 148 Tiger class fast attack craft is a modification of the French La Combattante II design for the Bundesmarine . The La Combattante had been designed by Lürssen of Germany for Israel, but were built in France by Constructions Mécaniques de Normandie in Cherbourg for political reasons...
- exported to Greece, Chile and Egypt - Albatros class fast attack craftAlbatros class fast attack craftThe Type 143 Albatros class was a German class of missile bearing Fast Attack Craft. Each vessel is named after a bird of prey including the albatross, condor and and cormorant....
- Gepard class fast attack craftGepard class fast attack craftThe Type 143A Gepard class is Germany's last class of missile bearing fast attack craft and the only one still in service with the German Navy since 1990.It is an evolution of the Type 143 Albatros class...
Greece
- Roussen Class (Super-Vita)Roussen Class FACMThe Roussen class is a 7-strong class of British-designed Fast Attack Craft for the Hellenic Navy. The class is named after its lead ship, which in turn is named after Lt Nikolaos Roussen, a World War II submarines officer who was killed in the suppression of the Navy mutiny in April...
- Used by the Hellenic NavyHellenic NavyThe Hellenic Navy is the naval force of Greece, part of the Greek Armed Forces. The modern Greek navy has its roots in the naval forces of various Aegean Islands, which fought in the Greek War of Independence... - FACM Class La Combattante IIIbFACM Class La Combattante IIIbSimilar but newer craft design than FACM Class La Combattante III, with main difference that they use Kongsberg Penguin Mk 2 Mod 3 missiles. Six ships were built in Greek Shipyards but Kostakos sunk after collision with a ferry in November 1996....
- Modified and upgraded version of the French La Combattante III Class. - FACM Class La Combattante IIIFACM Class La Combattante IIIFast Attack Craft Missile Class La Combattante III refers to four ships ordered by Greece in September 1974 from France. There are similar to the Fast Attack Craft Missile Class La Combattante IIa, but are bigger and armed with torpedoes...
- FACM Class La Combattante IIaFACM Class La Combattante IIaFast Attack Craft Missile Class La Combattante IIa were originally built for the German Navy as Type 148 Tiger class fast attack craft. They were later transferred to Hellenic Navy and the class was renamed Combattante IIa, as with similar French made ships. All the ships were under mid-life...
Israel
- Sa'ar 3-class missile boat
- Sa'ar 4-class missile boat used by Israel, with variants also in service in South Africa, Mexico, Sri Lanka and a small number of other countries.
- Sa'ar 4.5-class missile boat
Japan
- 1-go class missile boat - based on Sparviero class patrol boatSparviero class patrol boatThe Sparviero class is a Guided Missile Patrol Boat designed for and formerly used by the Italian Navy. The Japanese 1-go class missile boat is an updated version formerly used by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force . They are the fastest craft in Italian and Japanese naval history...
- Hayabusa class missile boatHayabusa class patrol boatThe Hayabusa class is a guided missile patrol boat class of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. Six boats were built between 2002 and 2004....
Norway
- SkjoldSkjold class patrol boatThe Skjold class patrol boats is a new class of superfast, large stealth missile craft, formerly known as MTBs . From 2009, the Royal Norwegian Navy officially label them as coastal corvettes because their seaworthiness is seen as comparable to corvettes. They are built at the Umoe Mandal yard...
- used by Norway, a stealthy surface effectSurface effect shipA Surface Effect Ship or Sidewall Hovercraft is a watercraft that has both an air cushion, like a hovercraft, and twin hulls, like a catamaran. When the air cushion is in use, a small portion of the twin hulls remain in the water...
catamaran
Russia/USSR
- Komar class missile boatKomar class missile boatThe Soviet Project 183R class, more commonly known by its NATO reporting name Komar, is a class of missile boats, the first of its kind, built in the 1950s and 1960s. They also hold the distinction of being the first ships to sink another ship with anti-ship missiles.- Design :The Project 183 MTB...
- The world's first missile boat, widely exported - Osa class missile boatOsa class missile boatThe Project 205 Tsunami, more commonly known by their NATO reporting name Osa, are a class of missile boats developed for the Soviet Navy in the early 1960s. The Osas are probably the most numerous class of missile boats ever built, with over 400 vessels constructed for both the Soviet Navy and for...
- probably the worlds numerous missile boat, widely exported - Matka class missile boatMatka class missile boatThe Matka class is the NATO reporting name for a group of hydrofoil missile boats built for the Soviet Navy. The Soviet designation is Project 206MR Vikhr.-Design:...
- hydrofoil missile boat - Sarancha class missile boatSarancha class missile boatThe Sarancha class is the NATO reporting name for a hydrofoil missile boat built for the Soviet Navy. The Soviet designation was Project 1240 Uragan -Design:...
- hydrofoil missile boat - Tarantul class corvetteTarantul class corvetteThe Project 1241.1 Molniya are a class of Soviet missile corvettes. They have the NATO reporting name Tarantul...
- missile corvette
Sweden
- Visby classVisby class corvetteThe Visby is the latest class of corvette to be adopted by the Royal Swedish Navy after the Göteborg and the Stockholm class corvettes. The ship's design heavily emphasizes "low visibility" or stealth technology. The first ship in the class is named after Visby, the main city on the island of Gotland...
- used by Sweden, a stealthy patrol ship. - Stockholm classStockholm class corvetteStockholm class corvette is a corvette class in the Swedish Navy. Built in Karlskrona 1984–1985, it is armed with eight RBS15 anti-ship missiles, torpedoes, one 57mm cannon and several machine guns. In 1999/2000 the two units in the class were upgraded in the Karlskrona shipyard Kockums...
- Göteborg classGöteborg class corvetteThe Göteborg class is a class of corvettes in the Swedish Navy, built between 1990 and 1993. The class is armed with eight RBS-15 anti-ship missiles, torpedoes, one 57mm cannon and one 40mm cannon....
Taiwan (Republic of China)
- Kuang Hua VI class missile boatKuang Hua VI class missile boatThe Kuang Hua VI class missile boat is a new type of patrol craft entering service with the Republic of China Navy . The prototype was launched in 2003, and the whole class is scheduled to enter service by 2010.-Project history:...
- Indigenously developed and currently in production for Taiwan's navy - Hai Ou Class missile boat
Turkey
- Kılıç - used by Turkey, a fast attack missile boat
- Rüzgar class fast attack craftRüzgar class fast attack craftThe Rüzgar class is one of the Fast Attack Craft / Missile Boat classes of the Turkish Navy.Designed by Lürssen Werft in Germany, these ships are almost identical to the Yıldız and Doğan classes, having the same hull, machinery and weapons; but are lighter and faster. All four ships of the class...
- Doğan class fast attack craftDogan class fast attack craftThe Doğan Class is one of the Fast Attack Craft / Missile Boat classes of the Turkish Navy.Designed by Lürssen Werft in Germany, these ships are almost identical with the Yıldız and Rüzgar classes, having the same hull, machinery and weapons...
- Kartal classKartal classThe Kartal class is one of the fast attack missile and torpedo boat classes of the Turkish Navy.The vessels of this class were built by Lürssen Werft in Germany, and were based on the Zobel class...
Other uses
The term missile boat is also often used as a slang synonym for a Ballistic Missile Submarine, primarily used by US submariners.Colloquially, and especially in video gaming, the term is applied to any offensive combat vehicle equipped with an extremely large number of guided or tracking munitions (such as the fictional Missile Boats seen in the Imperium (board game)
Imperium (board game)
Imperium is a science fiction board wargame that was published in 1977 by the Conflict Game Company and GDW. It was designed by Marc W. Miller and developed by Frank Chadwick and John Harshman. The game came in a cardboard box illustrated with a space battle on the exterior...
and the Star Wars: X-Wing
Star Wars: X-wing (series)
Star Wars: X-wing is a nine-book series of Star Wars novels by Michael A. Stackpole and Aaron Allston. Stackpole's contributions cover the adventures of a new Rogue Squadron formed by Wedge Antilles, while Allston's focus on Wraith Squadron, another creation of Antilles'. The first seven novels...
game series).