A
bomb vessel,
bomb ship,
bomb ketch, or simply
bomb was a type of wooden sailing
naval ship. Its primary
armament was not
cannon (
long guns or
carronades)—although bomb vessels carried a few cannon for self-defence—but rather
mortars mounted forward near the bow and elevated to a high angle, and projecting their fire in a
ballistic arc. Explosive shells or
carcasses were employed rather than solid shot. Bomb vessels were specialized ships designed for bombarding (hence the name) fixed positions on land. In more modern times, the same role was carried out by
battleships,
cruisers and
destroyers, as well as the purpose-built
World War I- and
II-era monitors.