The first ironclad warships, the French Gloire and British Warrior, made wooden vessels obsolete. The introduction of explosive shells soon led to the introduction of iron, and later steel, naval armour for the sides and decks of larger warships. The Crimean War gave a great stimulus to the development of guns. Warships have also often been used as troop carriers or supply ships, such as by the French Navy in the 18th century or the Japanese Navy during the Second World War. Until the threat of piracy subsided in the 19th century, it was normal practice to arm larger merchant ships such as galleons. Until the 17th century it was common for merchant ships to be pressed into naval service and not unusual for more than half a fleet to be composed of merchant ships. In war, merchant ships are often armed and used as auxiliary warships, such as the Q-ships of the First World War and the armed merchant cruisers of the Second World War. In wartime, the distinction between warships and merchant ships is often blurred. Warships usually belong to a navy, though they have also been operated by individuals, cooperatives and corporations. Unlike a merchant ship, which carries cargo, a warship typically carries only weapons, ammunition and supplies for its crew.
As well as being armed, warships are designed to withstand damage and are usually faster and more maneuverable than merchant ships.
Usually they belong to the armed forces of a state. The Cannon Shot (1670) by Willem van de Velde the Younger, showing a late Dutch 17th-century ship of the lineĪ warship or combatant ship is a naval ship that is built and primarily intended for naval warfare.
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