Cruising Range

length of time a ship can stay at sea without replenishing supplies. The range is determined by reserves of fuel, water, food, ammunition, and other material necessities; in the case of submarines, it is determined by reserves of oxygen and the conditions for living underwater. In approximate figures, the cruising range of a submarine is 30–90 days; an aircraft carrier, 30 days; a cruiser, 20 days; and a destroyer, 12 days. Combat cruising range refers to the duration of uninterrupted engagement in combat without replenishing ammunition (fuel in the case of aircraft carriers and airplanes). It is calculated by several days and depends on the intensity of combat.