Q-ships

Q-ships were specially armed merchant ships used during wartime, particularly in the World Wars, to deceive and combat enemy submarines. They appeared as normal cargo or passenger ships but were secretly equipped with concealed weapons like guns and torpedoes. Their goal was to lure submarines into attacking, thinking they were unarmed targets, then reveal their hidden armaments to fire back and defend themselves. This tactic helped protect vital shipping lanes and limited enemy submarine threats, functioning as a form of underwater mine and submarine defense through deception and surprise.