Combat Ships

An up-close look at the naval carriers, destroyers, and nuclear submarines of the Cold War.

Bad design, human error and the enemy sent great ships to tragic ends, like Britain's K13 submarine and HMS Hood, Sweden's 17th century Vasa, and Kublai Khan's fleet, sunk by the original kamikaze.

Revolutionary ship design helped Sir John Hawkins and Sir Francis Drake lead England to defeat the Spanish Armada and become a world power.

A look at key naval battles that have taken place in the Persian Gulf over the last 50 years and the warships involved, from both sides of the conflicts.

Stories of historic Black struggle for equality in maritime combat; an enslaved powder boy who served during the French and Indian War; a Civil War gunner; the first African American to command a vessel with a fully integrated crew: Hugh Mulzac.

The evolution from wooden ships to metal ones in the second half of the 19th century is examined.

A look at how technological advances over the centuries have led to bigger and faster combat ships and transformed maritime warfare.

A look at Naval warfare's fastest combat ships and how the advantage of speed determined the outcome of some of the great seas battles of the last 150 years.

A look at the smallest ships of war and the major roles they've played over the centuries, including the 1776 gunboat built to stop a British invasion and the HA-19 sub.

The 200-year evolution of the submarine in wartime is examined, told by the designers and engineers behind the machines.

Exploring maritime heroes who left their mark on history through their bravery and skill, including Larry Chambers, Ernest Evans, and Robert Smalls.

Recounting some of maritime warfare's explosions, from world wars and Vietnam to the nuclear tests at Bikini Atoll.

Examining some of maritime history's most effective lightning strikes; how the French frigate Nivôse set a trap to lure Somali pirates; how the HMS Illustrious captured a well-defended Mediterranean harbor in WWII; a surprise attack on Tokyo in 1942.

A look at riverine warfare from the Civil War to Vietnam and small but powerful combat ships.

New high-tech investigations uncover what sunk a World War I cruiser, a World War II submarine, a British destroyer from the Falklands War, and more.

A portrayal of a crucial September 1950 military operation that helped the UN and ROK gain the upper hand over North Korea in the Korean War.

It is considered the largest sea battle in history: the Battle of Leyte Gulf in WWII was three days of ingenious strategy and white-knuckle combat between warships, aircraft and kamikazes.

A look at how navy weapons have evolved over the centuries, from cannons to gun turrets to nuclear missiles and beyond.

The story of one of the world's most effective war machines: the Viking longship, seeing how its design evolved from swift war canoe to versatile and feared ship that would change the course of history.

A look at the most famous wooden warships over the course of 500 years.

A chronological look at the events of the 1944 D-Day landings, and the vessels that made the invasion possible, with an insight into personal stories and engineering wonders.