Smoke Screens in Battle
12174. Smoke screens are of two general types--those laid by surface vessels, usually destroyers or cruisers, and those laid by aircraft. The choice of the type to be employed depends upon the availability of surface vessels or aircraft capable of making smoke, and the suitability and limitations of each type of smoke screen. Atmospheric conditions affect the efficiency of both types.
12175. Smoke screens laid by surface vessels have the following advantages:
1. Smoking can be continued for an indefinite time, much longer than is possible with aircraft.
2. Vessels requiring smoke for their own protection can begin smoking when necessary without the delay sometimes resulting due to communications or lack of perfect coordination with smoke-laying planes.
12176. Smoke screens laid by surface vessels have the following disadvantages:
1. The laying of a smoke screen by surface vessels takes a longer time than aircraft require.
2. Due to the vulnerability of light vessels, they cannot lay smoke screens close to the enemy.
3. Vessels laying a smoke screen are not always protected by their smoke screen and hence surface craft cannot always be counted upon to lay a smoke screen when within effective range of the enemy.
12177. Smoke screens laid by aircraft have the following advantages:
1. Aircraft smoke screens are laid in less time than that required by surface vessels.
2. Aircraft, due to their high speed and small target size have a greater chance of successfully completing smoke-laying operations.
3. Aircraft smoke screens can usually be laid much closer to enemy vessels than can smoke screens laid by surface vessels.
12178. Smoke screens laid by aircraft have the following disadvantages:
1. Since the amount of fuel in a plane is limited, aircraft will not be available immediately to lay smoke when required unless a flight of smoke-laying planes is maintained in the air. They cannot be maintained available indefinitely without reliefs.
2. Since the amount of chemical carried by each smoke-laying plane is limited by considerations of weight, aircraft cannot lay smoke indefinitely.
minopolagaci upotrebljavaju dimnu zavjesu, za vreme polaganja mina, a mani brodovi prije lansiranja torpeda
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