Editing Destroyer (section)

==1918–1945==
{{See also|List of destroyers of the Second World War}}

[[File:Velox.jpg|right|thumb|V-class destroyer, {{HMS|Velox|D34|6}}]]

The trend during World War I had been towards larger destroyers with heavier armaments. A number of opportunities to fire at capital ships had been missed during the war, because destroyers had expended all their torpedoes in an initial salvo. The British [[V and W-class destroyer|V and W classes]] of the late war had sought to address this by mounting six torpedo tubes in two triple mounts, instead of the four or two on earlier models. The V and W classes set the standard of destroyer building well into the 1920s.

Two Romanian destroyers {{ship|NMS|Mărăști||2}} and {{ship|NMS|Mărășești||2}}, though, had the greatest firepower of all destroyers in the world throughout the first half of the 1920s. This was largely because, between their commissioning in 1920 and 1926, they retained the armament that they had while serving in the Italian Navy as [[scout cruiser]]s (''[[esploratori]]''). When initially ordered by Romania in 1913, the Romanian specifications envisioned three 120&nbsp;mm guns, a caliber which would eventually be adopted as the standard for future Italian destroyers. Armed with three 152&nbsp;mm and four 76&nbsp;mm guns after being completed as scout cruisers, the two warships were officially re-rated as destroyers by the [[Romanian Navy]]. The two Romanian warships were thus the destroyers with the greatest firepower in the world throughout much of the interwar period. As of 1939, when the Second World War started, their artillery, although changed, was still close to cruiser standards, amounting to nine heavy naval guns (five of 120&nbsp;mm and four of 76&nbsp;mm). In addition, they retained their two twin 457&nbsp;mm torpedo tubes and two machine guns, plus the capacity to carry up to 50 mines.<ref>''Brassey's Annual: The Armed Forces Year-book'', Praeger Publishers, 1939, p. 276</ref>

[[File:Uranami II.jpg|left|thumb|''Fubuki''-class destroyer, {{ship|Japanese destroyer|Uranami|1928|2}}]]The next major innovation came with the Japanese {{sclass|Fubuki|destroyer|4}} or "special type", designed in 1923 and delivered in 1928. The design was initially noted for its powerful armament of six 5-inch (127&nbsp;mm) guns and three triple torpedo mounts. The second batch of the class gave the guns high-angle turrets for antiaircraft warfare, and the {{convert|24|in|cm|adj=on}}, oxygen-fueled Long Lance [[Type 93 torpedo]]. The later {{sclass|Hatsuharu|destroyer|4}} of 1931 further improved the torpedo armament by storing its reload torpedoes close at hand in the superstructure, allowing reloading within 15 minutes.

Most other nations replied with similar larger ships. The US {{sclass|Porter|destroyer|4}} adopted twin 5-inch (127&nbsp;mm) guns, and the subsequent {{sclass|Mahan|destroyer|4}} and {{sclass|Gridley|destroyer|4}}es (the latter of 1934) increased the number of torpedo tubes to 12 and 16, respectively.

[[File:Fantasque.jpg|thumb|France's {{sclass|Le Fantasque|destroyer|4}} is the fastest destroyer class ever built.]]
In the Mediterranean, the Italian Navy's building of very fast light cruisers of the {{sclass|Condottieri|cruiser|4}} prompted the French to produce exceptional destroyer designs. The French had long been keen on large destroyers, with their {{sclass|Chacal|destroyer|4}} of 1922 displacing over 2,000&nbsp;tons and carrying 130&nbsp;mm guns; a further three similar classes were produced around 1930. The {{sclass|Le Fantasque|destroyer|4}} of 1935 carried five {{convert|138|mm|in}} guns and nine torpedo tubes, but could achieve speeds of {{convert|45|kn|kph|0}}, which remains the record speed for a steamship and for any destroyer.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Jordan|first1=John|last2=Moulin|first2=Jean|title=French Destroyers: Torpilleurs d'Escadre & Contre-Torpilleurs 1922–1956|year=2015|publisher=Seaforth Publishing|location=Barnsley, UK|isbn=978-1-84832-198-4 |name-list-style=amp}}</ref> The Italians' own destroyers were almost as swift; most Italian designs of the 1930s were rated at over {{convert|38|knot|km/h|0}}, while carrying torpedoes and either four or six 120&nbsp;mm guns.

Germany started to build destroyers again during the 1930s as part of Hitler's rearmament program. The Germans were also fond of large destroyers, but while the initial [[German World War II destroyers|Type 1934]] displaced over 3,000&nbsp;tons, their armament was equal to smaller vessels. This changed from the Type 1936 onwards, which mounted heavy {{convert|150|mm|in}} guns. German destroyers also used innovative high-pressure steam machinery; while this should have helped their efficiency, it more often resulted in mechanical problems.
[[File:Torpedobootjager Hr.Ms.Tjerk Hiddes (G16) (ex. Non Pareil) onder Nederlandse vlag met Brits kenteken G16 (2158 012325).jpg|thumb|alt=HNLMS Tjerk Hiddes, a British built N-class destroyer, laid down on 22 May 1940 and transferred to the Royal Netherlands Navy  |HNLMS ''[[HNLMS Tjerk Hiddes (G16)|Tjerk Hiddes]]'', a British built N-class destroyer, laid down on 22 May 1940 and transferred to the Royal Netherlands Navy  ]]
Once German and Japanese rearmament became clear, the British and American navies consciously focused on building destroyers that were smaller, but more numerous than those used by other nations. The British built a series of destroyers (the {{sclass2|A|destroyer|4||1929}} to {{sclass2|I|destroyer|4}}), which were about 1,400&nbsp;tons standard displacement, and had four {{convert|4.7|in|mm|0|adj=on}} guns and eight torpedo tubes; the American {{sclass|Benson|destroyer|4}} of 1938 was similar in size, but carried five {{convert|5|in|mm|0|adj=on}} guns and ten torpedo tubes. Realizing the need for heavier gun armament, the British built the {{sclass2|Tribal|destroyer (1936)|4}} of 1936 (sometimes called ''Afridi'' after one of two lead ships). These ships displaced 1,850&nbsp;tons and were armed with eight {{convert|4.7|in|mm|0|adj=on}} guns in four twin turrets and four torpedo tubes. These were followed by the [[J-, K- and N-class destroyer|J-class]] and L-class destroyers, with six {{convert|4.7|in|mm|0|adj=on}} guns in twin turrets and eight torpedo tubes.

Antisubmarine sensors included [[sonar]] (or ASDIC), although training in their use was indifferent. Antisubmarine weapons changed little, and ahead-throwing weapons, a need recognized in World War I, had made no progress.

===Later combat===

{{further|American World War II destroyers|British World War II destroyers|French World War II destroyers|German World War II destroyers|Italian World War II destroyers|Japanese World War II destroyers|Soviet World War II destroyers|Romanian World War II destroyers}}
[[File:USS McGowan (DD-678) at sea, circa in 1945.jpg|thumb|left|{{USS|McGowan|DD-678|6}}, a {{sclass|Fletcher|destroyer|2}} during World War II]]
During the 1920s and 1930s, destroyers were often deployed to areas of diplomatic tension or humanitarian disaster. British and American destroyers were common on the Chinese coast and rivers, even supplying landing parties to protect colonial interests. By World War II, the threat had evolved once again. Submarines were more effective, and [[aircraft]] had become important weapons of naval warfare; once again the early-war fleet destroyers were ill-equipped for combating these new targets. They were fitted with new light [[antiaircraft]] guns, [[radar]], and [[Hedgehog (weapon)|forward-launched ASW]] weapons, in addition to their existing [[dual-purpose gun]]s, [[depth charge]]s, and torpedoes. Increasing size allowed improved internal arrangement of propulsion machinery with [[compartmentation]], so ships were less likely to be sunk by a single hit.<ref name=ast/> In most cases torpedo and/or dual-purpose gun armament was reduced to accommodate new [[anti-air warfare|anti-air]] and [[anti-submarine warfare|anti-submarine]] weapons. By this time the destroyers had become large, multi-purpose vessels, expensive targets in their own right. As a result, casualties on destroyers were among the highest.  In the US Navy, particularly in World War II, destroyers became known as [[Tin Can Sailors|tin cans]] due to their light armor compared to battleships and cruisers.

The need for large numbers of antisubmarine ships led to the introduction of smaller and cheaper specialized antisubmarine warships called [[corvette]]s and [[frigate]]s by the Royal Navy and [[destroyer escort]]s by the USN. A similar programme was belatedly started by the Japanese (see {{sclass|Matsu|destroyer|2}}). These ships had the size and displacement of the original TBDs from which the contemporary destroyer had evolved.