Page "Cannon" Paragraph 2

Cannon also transformed naval warfare in the early modern period, as European navies took advantage of their firepower.

As rifling became commonplace, the accuracy and destructive power of cannon was significantly increased, and they became deadlier than ever, both to infantry who belatedly had to adopt different tactics, and to ships, which had to be armoured.

In World War I, the majority of combat fatalities were caused by artillery ; they were also used widely in World War II.

Most modern cannon are similar to those used in the Second World War, although the importance of the larger caliber weapons has declined with the development of missiles.