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What was the Battle of Caldera Bay (1891)?

Introduction The Battle of Caldera Bay, or the Sinking of Blanco Encalada, was a naval engagement fought in the Caldera Bay during the 1891 Chilean Civil War between Balmacedist and Congressional naval forces on 23 April 1891. It involved two Balmacedist torpedo boats of the Almirante Lynch-class, and the Congressional armoured frigate Blanco Encalada. After… Read More

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What was the South American Dreadnought Race?

Introduction A naval arms race among Argentina, Brazil and Chile – the wealthiest and most powerful countries in South America – began in the early twentieth century when the Brazilian government ordered three dreadnoughts, formidable battleships whose capabilities far outstripped older vessels in the world’s navies. In 1904, the Brazilian legislature allocated substantial funds to… Read More

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What is ‘Command of the Sea’?

Introduction Command of the sea (also called control of the sea or sea control) is a naval military concept regarding the strength of a particular navy to a specific naval area it controls. A navy has command of the sea when it is so strong that its rivals cannot attack it directly. This dominance may… Read More

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What is Crossing the T in Naval Warfare?

Introduction Crossing the T or capping the T is a classic naval warfare tactic used from the late 19th to the mid-20th centuries in which a line of warships crosses in front of a line of enemy ships to allow the crossing line to bring all their guns to bear while it receives fire from… Read More

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What is Hull-Down?

Introduction In sailing and warfare, hull-down means that the upper part of a vessel or vehicle is visible, but the main, lower body (hull) is not; the term hull-up means that all of the body is visible. The terms originated with sailing and naval warfare in which the curvature of the earth causes an approaching… Read More

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What is a Task Force?

Introduction A task force (TF) is a unit or formation established to work on a single defined task or activity. Originally introduced by the United States Navy, the term has now caught on for general usage and is a standard part of NATO terminology. Many non-military organisations now create “task forces” or task groups for… Read More