Crossing the T

Missiles and aircraft largely obsoleted this tactic as long-range strikes are less dependent on the direction the ships are facing.

This allows each ship to fire over wide arcs without lofting salvos of projectiles over friendly vessels.

However, moving ahead of the enemy line on a perpendicular course (crossing the T) enables a ship to launch salvos at the same target with both the forward and rear turrets, maximizing the chances for a hit.

Advances in gun manufacturing and fire-control systems allowed engagements at increasingly long range, from approximately 6,000 yards (5.5 km; 2.9 nautical miles) at the Battle of Tsushima in 1905 to 20,000 yards (18 km; 9.8 nautical miles) at the Battle of Jutland in 1916.

The addition of radar allowed World War II-era ships to fire farther, more accurately, and at night.

In this animation, the ship near the top is crossing the T of the ship on the bottom.
The blue ships are crossing the T of the red ships
Blue crosses Red's T , animation