Depth charges are weapons developed and used in both World Wars for antisubmarine warefare. They were essentially large drum-like explosive charges either rolled off the stern of a destroyer, or launched by an explosive discharge of compressed air to the sides of the destroyer as it passed over a submerged submarine. They had a fuse which could be set for a given depth which when reached would detonate the depth charge and the pressure generated would rupture the pressure hull of the sub.