Types of Ships by Silhouette : Part 2

Helicopter Carrier

A Japanese Helicopter Carrier, the Hyuga, by Reann S. Mommsen, courtesy of the United States Navy and via Wiki Commons

More nations operate small carriers capable of handling only helicopters or VTOL jets than deploy full-on aircraft carriers. Many nations even don't call them aircraft carriers to avoid negative associations, an example being the Hyuga above which is called a "helicopter destroyer" by the Japanese authorities, much like Russian carriers during the Cold War were called "aircraft carrying cruisers" to avoid legal restrictions set around transiting the Bosporous region.

They are set apart from the larger full-deck carriers as well as similarly sized amphibious warfare ships because they lack a well deck (so sit lower in the water relative to amphibs) and have a superstructure that takes up relatively more deck space than true aircraft carriers. In addition, their helicopters are a dead giveaway if no fixed wing aircraft are seen as well.

 

Amphibious Warfare Ships

^{The Mistral, a French Amphibious Warfare Ship, courtesy of F. Dubey of netmarine.net, via Wiki Commons}

Many nations are turning to ships reminiscent of aircraft carriers for transporting troops. The old style amphibious assault is probably obsolete due to the lethality of modern weapons, so navies that wish to send troops to hostile shores are likely to use helicopters and hovercraft to get the job done. Amphibious warfare ships like the Mistral above are identifiable by how far above the water their flat flight deck is located. This is because their cargo deck and well deck (wet deck for loading/unloading smaller cargo craft) take up a lot of space, and so demand that the ship's profile be far higher. Also note the presence of cranes- even similarly sized helicopter carriers don't usually have such prominent cranes.

Frigates and Other Small Warships

Silhouette of F Greenhalgh (F-46) - Silhoutte ship Fragate courtesy of the Brazilian Navy, via Wiki Commons

Warships smaller than destroyers, such as frigates, corvettes, patrol boats, etc. are fairly difficult to identify. They are some of the hardest types of ships, by silhouette alone, to distinguish from one another. However their sizes and functions remain fairly constant across the navies that use them- and most do. Their profiles are functional and relatively streamlined, which sets them apart as warships. Most have one or two larger guns mounted in turrets, and most also have identifiable missile launchers as well. Many have helicopter decks aft, and lack obvious cranes, cargo spaces, or other deck clutter.

They are small and quick, and fairly maneuverable. They can be some of the more common ships to be involved in collisions, simply because there are a relatively large number in operation and with varying levels of crew competency. They are also intended to maneuver freely, and can be hard to predict. Best bet is to get in touch via radio and stay in touch; they want to avoid running into you as much as you want to avoid hitting them. At-sea collisions have ended the career of more than one ambitious officer.

Coastal Patrol and Law Enforcement Vessels

U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Vigilant, courtesy Wiki user Workman, via Wiki Commons

Patrol vessels like this Coast Guard Cutter above are even more common around the world than small warships, and have a similar profile. However, they are usually set apart by their paint scheme and willingness to remain in contact with nearby ships. If warships are like unmarked black cars, these patrol ships are more akin to a police cruiser. They usually want to be seen, and are there to ensure that everyone follows the rules. And when accidents happen, they'll move to render assistance.

In general, a vessel with clean lines, guns, and a bright paint job is probably the marine version of the local highway patrol. 

Oceanographic Research Vessels

Navio Oceanográfico Ari Rangel - Oceanographic Research Ship, courtesy of the Brazilian Navy, via Wiki Commons

The term "oceanographic research vessel" is a bit of a catch-all, but then again the varied jobs performed by ships that fall under this classification are fairly diverse as well. They are at sea to gather scientific data on some aspect of the ecosystem, and are visually identifiable primarily because they look like fishing trawlers but replace the nets and booms and related gear with antennae, electronic equipment, and very possibly some people aboard who don't know much about rules at sea. They are one of the few civilian vessels that may well have a helicopter deck, as some samples are sent back to shore as quickly as possible.

 Trawlers

 Icelandic Fishing Trawler at Seyðisfjörður courtesy of Futureatlas.com, via Wiki Commons

No vessel is more representative of human-oceanic interaction than the fishing trawlers. They come in innumerable shapes and sizes, from one-man boats to entire processing centers for whale kills. But all have a few common visual characteristics: They are cluttered with gear and look like a cross between a cargo ship and a yacht. Space counts on one of these vessels, and crews are often at sea for a long stretch of time, working until the hold is full. Some stick to bays and harvest lobsters; others head out to the major fisheries with nets that may span a kilometer.

The varied tools employed by these vessels means that passerby should be cautious. A drifting net can foul on a passing vessel, and there are plenty of stories of fishing trawlers lost in the North Atlantic because a warship or submerged sub caught on a net and dragged the trawler to its doom. So if the ship on the horizon seems to have a lot of rigging headed out over the side, be wary.

Yachts

 The Yacht Predator, courtesy of Alain Massard-Combe via Wiki Commons

Yachts, like fishing trawlers, come in all shapes and sized. Rich types who own yachts often want them to be unique, and builders comply. But compared to vessels that are meant to go to sea to do a job, be it moving cargo or sending cruise missiles at an enemy, yachts have ridiculously clean lines. They're meant to be showy and luxurious, and let those who can afford them enjoy a maritime lifestyle without being encumbered by tools and gear.

Not to say that scientific researchers wouldn't adapt a yacht to their needs, or a fishing crew that somehow ended up owning one wouldn't make modifications, but in general yachts are run by people who are on the water for pleasure, not business.

 

Sailing Craft

Sailing Ship at the Port of Amsterdam, The Netherlands courtesy of Wiki user Alfvanbeem, via Wiki Commons

Sailing craft have been around for centuries, and all have at least this in common: masts, rigging, and sails. If a vessel on the horizon appears to have very, very tall masts relative to its size, it is likely to be a sailing vessel.

 

Attack Submarine

USS Virginia at the New London Submarine Base by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Steven Myers, courtesy of the United States Navy, via Wiki Commons

Few sailors will see an attack submarine during their travels, because this kind of ship is meant to disappear as soon as it is out of port and in deep enough water. If one is spotted on the surface, it will be difficult to see due to its very low profile. At sufficiently close distances, submarines are obvious due to their rounded deck and small conning tower (called the sail by submariners). The periscopes tend to be a dead giveaway, too.

Ballistic Missile Submarines

^{A Delta Class Ballistic Missile Submarine Used by the Soviet Union, later Russia, courtesy of the United States Navy via Wiki Commons}

At sea it is even rarer to see a ballistic missile sub than an attack sub, and not just because there are fewer of them. These vessels carry up to two dozen missiles that house upwards of a dozen or more warheads as their payload. The kicker is that they are nuclear warheads. Ballistic missile submarines have one job and one job only: unleash a literal hell upon an opponent in retaliation for launching its own nuclear strike.

Their job, in naval parlance, is deterrence patrols, which are intended to be a simple, lethal insurance policy: if you attack their homeland, no matter how successful you are, a submarine will retaliate by annihilating a hundred or so of your biggest cities with nuclear warheads. Due to this threat, so the logic goes, no one would dare launch a first strike.

If you see one of these at sea, the best indication that you're dealing with a "boomer" (as they're often called) is a sail that is quite far forward or aft relative to the length of the submarine proper, and any disproportionalities in the profile of the vessel. The Delta-class boomer above, for example, appears to have had a parking garage stuck to it. Basically, if it’s a submarine that looks a bit ungainly, or just like one that is carrying a heavy load, it probably is.

And if you do spot one, best pretend you didn't, at least if it is in the open ocean. Boomer patrol areas are, obviously, a closely kept secret. If you do happen across one, congratulations! You've just compromised someone's national security.