Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 53:43-54:53

Postwar naval strike shifted toward bombs and rockets

British and American carrier aviation increasingly favoured bombs and rockets for ship attack, although torpedoes remained under consideration against Soviet naval targets.

Aerial TorpedoesBlackburn FirebrandBombsNaval StrikeRocketsSoviet Navy
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Question

Did postwar carrier aviation shift from torpedoes toward bombs and rockets for strike missions?

Short answer

Yes, although the change was gradual and torpedoes remained relevant in planning for possible attacks on Soviet warships.

Notes

The answer agrees that postwar strike practice moved away from the torpedo as the primary anti-ship weapon. Aircraft such as the Firebrand existed within a rapidly changing air-group mix, so the transition was not instantaneous or uniform. Wartime experience had already made bombs and rockets increasingly attractive, while the emerging Soviet threat kept the torpedo in planning discussions. The exchange shows how weapons change can precede the full arrival of a new generation of carrier aircraft.