Coastal artillery was the branch of armed forces concerned with operating anti-ship artillery in coastal fortresses.
Coastal artillery appeared in Europe almost as soon as the introduction of cannons during the 16th century; when a colonial power took over an overseas territory, one of their first tasks was to build a coastal fortress, both to deter rival naval powers and to subjugate the natives. During the 19th century China also built hundreds of coastal fortresses in an attempt to counter Western naval threats.
Coastal artillery could be part of the Navy (as in Scandinavian countries), or part of the Army (as in Anglophone countries). In the United Kingdom, coastal artillery was the responsibility of the Royal Garrison Artillery.
In the United States, coastal artillery was established in 1812 as a branch of the Army. During World War II the role of the U.S. coastal artillery was shifted from anti-vessel to anti-air with the advent of the airplane and airpower.
The advent of jet aircraft and missiles means that fixed coastal artillery had become obsolete, and as a result coastal artillery units worldwide had gradually been disbanded.
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