Anti-shipping planes were a threat to warships in World War II. These aircraft could fly low above the water and attack warships from the sky. These aircraft were replaced by attack aircraft with guided bombs and anti-ship missiles. While anti-shipping aircraft weren't very common after World War II ended, some navies maintained work on antisurface ship technology.
During World War II, the US Navy had two types of air-launched torpedoes. The RGM/UGM-109B Tomahawk was the most commonly used, followed by the S-2. These torpedoes also could be operated by land-based forces or armies. These were fairly inaccurate.
The US Navy torpedo, the RUR-5 ASROC (also known as AntiSubmarineROCket), has a rocket attached. It is similar to the Mk 46 submarine torpedo, but it has a longer range. It can also be equipped with a nuclear bomb to destroy submarines up to two miles away from the impact point. The US Navy also has several TLAMs, which can be modified to provide an anti ship mode.
The dominant weapon against surface ships was once heavyweight anti-ship torpedoes. They could be guided via magnetic detonators. This could allow them to travel hundreds of miles. They can also carry larger warheads that other naval weapons. Despite their size, these torpedoes were difficult to decoy and can catch submarines. These torpedoes are too heavy to be carried by most aircraft. They also take up too much space on surface ships.
Modern anti-ship torpedoes are smaller and lighter than their predecessors, but they are still deadly. These torpedoes can explode, causing chaos on the target vessel. They can travel twice as fast as other ships. They can be guided by wires or magnetic detonators. They can also use acoustic seeker to guide them.
Today's missiles are very fast and fly extremely low. They can be programmed for multiple targets simultaneously. They can also be programmed so that they split between multiple targets in the event of a shootout. They are also capable of self-guiding. These weapons were first used in Vietnam and Korea. However, they are less common today.
A third type of anti-shipping weapon is a depth charge. These bombs are dropped in water. They are similar to a depth-charge, but they cannot be tracked by the target. You can program them to explode by either pressure or a timer. They are not made for direct hits but can be used by sonar to blind it and cause sonar contact to cease. These are much safer than torpedoes. They were used in World War I, and World War II. They were also common in Vietnam.
Anti-shipping missiles of today can be launched from aircraft or ships. They can also withstand being shot before launch. They can also fire from submarines. Torpedoes are guided by wires and magnetic detonators, as well as acoustic hunters. They are designed for catching and destroying submarines and surface ships. They can also hit regular aircraft.