Combat Ships

Combat Ships - Smithsonian Channel

Smithsonian Channel

Reality Series

2017

TVPG

Documentary

Military

War

Documentary series that tells the story of the evolution of maritime conflict.

Where to Stream

2017–2023 Reality Series 4 Seasons34 Episodes

Upcoming TV Airings

The airings below are based on a generic national schedule. Times and dates can vary by TV provider.

Thursday, July 3

Wooden Warships

Season 1 • Episode 9

A look at the most famous wooden warships over the course of 500 years.

Thursday, July 3

Destroyers and Cruisers

Season 2 • Episode 4

The ships that made empires, from Britain's lone wolves to the USS Laffey's fight against kamikazes.

Thursday, July 3

Amphibious Assaults

Season 2 • Episode 8

The evolution of amphibious assault vehicles, including the restoration of Britain's last LCT 7074.

Thursday, July 3

Rescue Ships

Season 1 • Episode 7

A look at wartime rescue ships and the brave men and women who risked their lives to save others.

Thursday, July 3

Game Changers

Season 3 • Episode 1

Experimental ships and revolutionary designers that have changed the tide of war.

Thursday, July 3

Mutiny

Season 4 • Episode 5

A look at how technological advances over the centuries have transformed maritime warfare.

Thursday, July 3

World Wars

Season 1 • Episode 1

A look at how the role of battleships changed over the course of the First and Second World Wars.

Thursday, July 3

Secrets of the Sea

Season 2 • Episode 5

Stories of espionage at sea, including deadly U-boat cat-and-mouse games during WWI.

Thursday, July 3

The Battle of Trafalgar

Season 3 • Episode 2

The Battle of Trafalgar in 1805 pitted Napoleon's French ships against a British armada.

Thursday, July 3

Heroes of Guadalcanal

Season 4 • Episode 4

A comprehensive look at the naval battle of Guadalcanal and the efforts of U.S. sailors.

Thursday, July 3

Smugglers and Pirates

Season 4 • Episode 6

Maritime forces guard US waters and ships from pirates and drug smugglers.

Thursday, July 10

The Battle of Leyte Gulf

Season 2 • Episode 7

The Battle of Leyte Gulf in WWII was three days of ingenious strategy and white-knuckle combat.

Thursday, July 10

The Battle of Incheon

Season 3 • Episode 3

A crucial September 1950 military operation carried out by the ROK and UN amid the Korean War.

Thursday, July 10

Lightning Strikes

Season 4 • Episode 8

Examining some of maritime history's most effective and deceptive lightning strikes.

Thursday, July 10

Secrets and Lies

Season 1 • Episode 10

A look at how the art of deception was used by naval forces in the first half of the 20th century.

Thursday, July 10

Galleons and Privateers

Season 2 • Episode 6

Revolutionary ship design helped England defeat the Spanish Armada and become a world power.

Thursday, July 10

The Fast and Furious

Season 3 • Episode 7

A look at Naval warfare's fastest combat ships and the advantage of speed.

Thursday, July 10

Doomed Vessels

Season 2 • Episode 3

Featuring Britain's K13 submarine, HMS Hood, Sweden's 17th century Vasa, and Kublai Khan's fleet.

Thursday, July 10

Metal War Ships

Season 1 • Episode 4

The evolution from wooden ships to metal ones in the second half of the 19th century is examined.

Thursday, July 10

War Beneath the Waves

Season 1 • Episode 2

The 200-year evolution of the submarine in wartime is examined, told by the designers and engineers.

Thursday, July 10

Cold War Warriors

Season 1 • Episode 6

An up-close look at the naval carriers, destroyers, and nuclear submarines of the Cold War.

Thursday, July 10

Torpedo Boats

Season 1 • Episode 5

A look at some of the most fearsome torpedo boats, used by both sides during the World Wars.

Thursday, July 10

Hidden Figures

Season 4 • Episode 3

A 14-year-old enslaved powder boy who served during the French and Indian War.

Thursday, July 17

Record Breakers

Season 4 • Episode 7

Thursday, July 17

Gulf War Warriors

Season 3 • Episode 4

A look at key naval battles that have taken place in the Persian Gulf over the last 50 years.

Thursday, July 17

The Smallest Ships

Season 1 • Episode 8

A look at the smallest ships of war and the major roles they've played over the centuries.

Thursday, July 17

Sunk

Season 3 • Episode 5

Uncovering what sunk a World War I cruiser and a World War II submarine.

Thursday, July 17

Top Guns

Season 3 • Episode 6

A look at how navy weapons have evolved, from cannons to gun turrets to nuclear missiles.

Thursday, July 17

Courageous Captains

Season 4 • Episode 1

Exploring maritime heroes who left their mark on history through their bravery and skill.

Thursday, July 17

River Raiders

Season 3 • Episode 8

A look at riverine warfare from the Civil War to Vietnam and small but powerful combat ships.

Thursday, July 17

Explosion!

Season 4 • Episode 2

Recounting some of maritime warfare's explosions, from world wars and Vietnam to the nuclear tests.

Thursday, July 17

Viking Longships

Season 2 • Episode 1

The story of one of the world's most effective war machines: the Viking longship.

Thursday, July 17

Stealth

Season 2 • Episode 2

From secret missions that helped win World War II to modern stealth ships using strange shapes.

Thursday, July 17

Wooden Warships

Season 1 • Episode 9

A look at the most famous wooden warships over the course of 500 years.

Thursday, July 17

Destroyers and Cruisers

Season 2 • Episode 4

The ships that made empires, from Britain's lone wolves to the USS Laffey's fight against kamikazes.