Destroyer: The Rise of the "Main Force of Naval Warfare" - Li Chaoqiang On April 21, on the eve of the 74th anniversary of the founding of the People's Navy, another "Ten Thousand Ton Large Drive" Xianyang ship from China was publicly unveiled. This is the eighth 055 missile destroyer installed by the People's Navy. It is equipped with new air defense, anti missile, anti-ship and anti-submarine weapon, and has strong air defense, anti missile and sea strike capabilities, which has attracted praise from netizens and military fans. Since the birth of destroyers, navies of various countries have never stopped researching and improving them. As a multi-purpose warship, destroyers have been one of the important naval vessels since the 1890s. Modern destroyers are equipped with various weapons such as air defense, anti-submarine, and sea defense. They can not only undertake offensive assault tasks, but also undertake air defense and anti-submarine escort tasks for combat formations. They can also carry out patrols, vigilance, reconnaissance, maritime blockade, and maritime rescue. Due to its wide range of combat functions, destroyers have always been favored by navies of various countries. From the "light cavalry" of the past to the "versatile" of the present, from the "emerging" of the sea battle field to the "main force" of the battle against the ocean, how has the destroyer gone through the development process, and how will it continue to "upgrade" in the future? In this issue, let's take a closer look. The Horizon class destroyer jointly developed by France and Italy. In the late 19th century, giant ships and artillery became the "main theme" of naval development worldwide - many countries were committed to forming fleets led by battleships and supplemented by cruisers, hoping to dominate the ocean with larger ships, thicker armor, and more powerful artillery. In 1877, torpedo weapons were widely used, and Britain produced the first torpedo boat, the Lightning, with a displacement of about 30 tons. With its small size, fast speed, and flexible steering, this type of torpedo boat can launch torpedoes at close range and is difficult to sink, posing a great threat to the survival of giant ships. Even the "Sea Big Mac" battleships at that time had to retreat from it. Various countries competed to imitate, and similar ships quickly gained popularity. In 1892, the British Arrow Company utilized steam power technology and collaborated with the Navy to design a new type of anti torpedo ship - the torpedo destroyer, abbreviated as the destroyer. This ship can be equipped with multiple small and medium-sized guns and torpedoes, which can not only deal with torpedo ships, but also attack large surface combatant like torpedo ships. In October 1893, the Royal Navy destroyer "Havoc" was officially launched. This ship was designed by Fisher, the father of the modern British Navy, and is the world's first true destroyer. The Havoc has a displacement of over 200 tons and a speed of approximately 27 knots. Although its tonnage and firepower are inferior to cruisers, it has high maneuverability and is capable of catching up with enemy torpedo boats with speed and easily eliminating them with artillery. Moreover, this type of destroyer is equipped with both artillery and torpedoes, capable of launching torpedo attacks on large enemy warships, replacing torpedo boats to complete missions. With the advent of destroyers, torpedo boats were brutally suppressed and became "living targets" for human exploitation at sea, eventually being "expelled" from the historical stage. Destroyers have emerged and gradually become a regular type of ship in fleets of various countries. Entering the 20th century,