Why is the main gun shorter than the secondary gun? ——In-depth analysis from battleship design to actual combat needs
In discussions among military enthusiasts or battleship fans, a common question is: Why are the main guns of battleships often mounted lower than the secondary guns? This article will reveal the reasons behind this phenomenon from the three dimensions of design principles, actual combat needs and historical cases, combined with the hot military topic data from the entire network in the past 10 days.
1. Data statistics on hot military topics across the Internet (last 10 days)
| Ranking | Topic keywords | Search volume (10,000) | Relevance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Battleship main gun design | 18.7 | high |
| 2 | Secondary gun range comparison | 12.3 | in |
| 3 | Warship firepower layout | 9.8 | high |
| 4 | The evolution of modern warships | 7.5 | in |
2. Four reasons why the main gun is lower than the secondary gun
1. Center of gravity stability requirements
Due to the large caliber and high weight of the main gun (for example, the weight of a single main gun on a World War II battleship can reach 100 tons), the installation position needs to be lowered to maintain the center of gravity of the battleship. The secondary battery is lighter (usually 5-10 tons) and can be placed higher.
| Type of artillery | Typical weight (tons) | Installation height (from waterline) |
|---|---|---|
| main gun | 80-120 | 8-12 meters |
| secondary battery | 5-15 | 15-20 meters |
2. Optimization of shooting accuracy
The main gun has a long range (more than 30km), and its low installation can reduce the impact of hull roll; the secondary gun is used for short-range air defense/anti-ship (within 10km), and its high position helps to expand the field of view.
3. Protection design logic
The main gun needs to be integrated with the armor belt, and the low placement can obtain thicker armor protection; the secondary battery relies on dispersed placement to improve survivability.
4. Historical evolution cases
Take the battleship Bismarck as an example: the base of its 380mm main gun turret is deep into the interior of the ship, while all 105mm secondary guns are arranged in the open air on the superstructure.
3. Continuation and transformation of modern warships
Although modern destroyers have replaced traditional artillery with missiles, the design logic is still inherited:
- Vertical hair systems are usually lower than the bridge
- CIWS installed at high altitudes
This layout continues the core idea of "placing the main weapon low and the secondary weapon high".
4. Expert opinions and hot discussions among netizens
| source of opinion | core argument |
|---|---|
| Naval engineer Zhang Wei | "Lowering the main gun is an inevitable choice for ship engineering, and is similar to the principle of submarine ballast tanks." |
| Military Blogger "Iron Armored Ship" | "Historically, only the French Dunkirk class attempted a high-gun layout, which ultimately proved a failure." |
| Zhihu popular answers | Metaphor with 23,000 likes: "Just like a person has to squat down to carry a bazooka, but a pistol can be fired standing up." |
Conclusion:The difference in the height of the battleship's gun positions is essentially a precise balance of the three elements of firepower, protection, and stability. This design wisdom that has been proven for hundreds of years still affects the construction concepts of warships in various countries.
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