HMS Warrior launched as Britain's first iron warship

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HMS Warrior was launched on the Thames in December 1860 as the world's first iron-hulled, armour-plated warship, a revolutionary vessel that rendered every other warship in the world obsolete overnight. Built in response to the French ironclad Gloire, Warrior combined an iron hull with teak-backed armour plating, a powerful battery of Armstrong breech-loading guns, and a steam engine capable of driving her at over fourteen knots. Warrior served with the Channel Squadron based at Portsmouth and was the most powerful warship afloat for several years, though she was never tested in battle. The rapid pace of naval technology meant that she was superseded within a decade and was reduced to reserve duty before being converted into a depot ship and eventually a floating jetty at Pembroke Dock in Wales. In 1979, the ship was towed to Hartlepool for a comprehensive restoration that took eight years. In 1987, HMS Warrior was brought to Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, where she is now on permanent display alongside HMS Victory and the Mary Rose. The three ships together span over four centuries of naval history and form the centrepiece of the National Museum of the Royal Navy.