Cruiser

A cruiser is a type of warship. Modern cruisers are generally the largest ships in a fleet after aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships. They can perform many important jobs, such as searching and finding enemies, protecting ships at sea, and making it hard for others to use the ocean.

The word "cruiser" has been used for many hundreds of years, and its meaning has changed over time. During the Age of Sail, cruising meant certain special missions like looking out for the fleet, protecting trade, or attacking enemy ships. These missions were usually done by smaller warships like frigates or sloops-of-war.

In the middle of the 19th century, the term "cruiser" began to describe ships meant for traveling far away, attacking trade, or scouting for the main battle fleet. Cruisers came in many different sizes, from medium-sized protected cruisers to large armored cruisers that were almost as big as pre-dreadnought battleships, though not as strong.

When the dreadnought battleship appeared before World War I, armored cruisers changed into a new kind of ship called the battlecruiser. These very large battlecruisers from World War I were grouped with dreadnought battleships as capital ships.

After World War II, new technology with guided missiles allowed cruisers to take the place of battleships.

Early history

The word "cruiser" began to be used in the 1600s to describe an independent warship. Back then, "cruiser" described the ship's job rather than its design. It was used for smaller, faster ships that could handle special missions. In those days, big warships called "ships of the line" were too large and expensive for long trips or constant patrols.

Countries like the Dutch navy were known for their cruisers. Later, the Royal Navy and navies of France and Spain also built many cruisers. In the 1700s, the frigate became the most common type of cruiser. Frigates were small, fast ships with one gun deck, used for exploring, delivering messages, and interrupting enemy trade. Another type was the sloop, but many different ships served as cruisers.

Steam cruisers

During the 1800s, navies started using steam power for their ships. In the 1840s, they built special steam-powered ships called frigates and sloops. By the mid-1850s, both the British and U.S. Navies were making steam frigates with long hulls and heavy guns, like the USS Merrimack and the Mersey.

In the 1860s, ironclads were introduced. These were very powerful ships, but they were too fast for long-distance missions. The French built smaller ironclads for duties far from home, starting with the Belliqueuse. These ships were the first steps toward armored cruisers, designed for fast, independent missions.

The first true armored cruiser was Russia’s General-Admiral, finished in 1874, followed by Britain’s Shannon. Until the 1890s, armored cruisers still had masts for sailing, to travel far from places where they could get fuel.

Unarmored cruisers made of wood, iron, or steel stayed popular until the late 1800s. Even though they had modern guns that fired explosive shells, they couldn’t fight ironclads. This was shown when the British cruiser HMS Shah fought the Peruvian monitor Huáscar. Even though the Peruvian ship was old, it held up against about 50 hits from British shells.

Steel cruisers

Main article: Protected cruiser

In the 1880s, ship builders started using steel to make warships. Steel made ships lighter and faster than older wooden or iron ships. Some naval experts believed that fast steel cruisers were perfect for attacking enemy trade ships, while small torpedo boats could help destroy big enemy warships.

Steel also helped protect these ships in battle. Steel armor was stronger than older iron armor, even though it weighed the same. By placing thin steel armor over important parts of the ship and putting coal stores in places that could block enemy shots, these ships could stay safer without becoming too slow. The first of these protected cruisers was the Chilean ship Esmeralda, launched in 1883. It was built by a shipyard in Elswick, Britain, owned by Armstrong. This ship inspired many similar ships, called the "Elswick cruisers." It had big guns at the front and back, smaller guns in the middle, could sail at 18 knots (33 km/h), and weighed less than 3,000 tons.

Main article: Torpedo cruiser

Smaller, unarmored cruisers called torpedo cruisers appeared in the 1880s and 1890s. These ships could sail up to 20 knots (37 km/h) and carried medium and small guns, as well as torpedoes. They were used for guarding, watching the enemy, sending messages, and other tasks that needed small ships. They could also lead groups of torpedo boats. After 1900, these ships were often replaced by faster ships that could travel farther.

Main article: Armored cruiser

Steel also changed armored cruisers. New battleships, called pre-dreadnought battleships, could now be faster and stronger. Armored cruisers from the 1890s and early 1900s looked a lot like these battleships. They had slightly smaller main guns (7.5-to-10-inch or 190 to 250 mm instead of 12-inch) and thinner armor, which let them sail faster—about 21 to 23 knots (39 to 43 km/h) compared to 18 knots. Because of these similarities, it became hard to tell battleships apart from armored cruisers.

Early 20th century

See also: Scout cruiser

Around the start of the 20th century, there were big questions about how to design future cruisers. Modern armored cruisers were almost as strong as battleships but fast enough to escape older, weaker cruisers. In the Royal Navy, a leader named Jackie Fisher reduced the number of older ships, calling them useless compared to new cruisers. A new type called the scout cruiser appeared, a small, fast ship meant for finding enemies. The Royal Navy and the Italian Navy were the main forces to develop this type.

Battle cruisers

Main article: Battlecruiser

As armored cruisers grew bigger and stronger, they led to the creation of the battlecruiser. This new ship had big guns like the powerful dreadnought battleships. Admiral Jackie Fisher thought Britain needed fast, well-armed ships to stay strong far from home. These battlecruisers had the same guns as battleships but fewer of them. They were meant to fight big enemy ships. The first battlecruisers joined the Royal Navy in 1907. They were built to be very fast, choosing long distances to fight from. However, this speed came with less protection, which caused problems in some battles. Germany and Japan also built these ships, each with their own strengths.

Light cruisers

Main article: Light cruiser

Around the same time, the difference between armored and unarmored cruisers disappeared. By 1909, with the British Town class, small fast cruisers could carry armor on their sides and decks, thanks to new engine designs. These lightly armored cruisers took over the usual jobs of cruisers when it became clear that battlecruisers needed to stay with the main battle fleet.

Flotilla leaders

Main article: Flotilla leader

Some light cruisers were made to lead groups of smaller warships called destroyers.

Coastguard cruisers

These ships were large boats for patrolling close to shore, armed with several small guns. One example was Grivița from the Romanian Navy. It weighed 110 tons, was 60 meters long, and had four small guns.

Auxiliary cruisers

Main article: Auxiliary cruiser

An auxiliary cruiser was a regular trading ship that was quickly armed with small guns when war started. These ships were used to help protect long-distance travel routes or guard other cargo ships, but they often weren’t very effective because they were slow, had weak weapons, and lacked armor. In both World Wars, Germany used small trading ships with cruiser guns to surprise enemy trading ships. Some big passenger ships were also armed this way. The British called these Armed Merchant Cruisers (AMC). Germany and France used them in World War I because they could go very fast (about 30 knots or 56 km/h), and Germany and Japan used them again early in World War II. In both wars, the British used them to protect groups of ships traveling together.

World War I

Cruisers were important warships during World War I. By this time, they had developed quickly, becoming stronger, with sizes between 3000–4000 tons, speeds of 25–30 knots, and guns between 127–152 mm calibre.

Mid-20th century

In the 1920s and 1930s, rules called treaties were made to stop too many big warships from being built. These rules limited how big ships could be and what kind of weapons they could carry. Some ships called "treaty cruisers" were built right at the edge of these rules.

Later, another rule separated ships into "heavy" cruisers, which had bigger guns, and light cruisers, which had smaller guns. Some countries, like Japan and Germany, didn’t follow these rules. This led to more ships being built with bigger weapons than allowed. The US and Britain also built new ships to keep up.

Heavy cruisers

See also: Heavy cruiser

Heavy cruisers were big warships with large guns, meant for long distances and high speeds. They started being built in 1915 but became more common after 1930. Early heavy cruisers sometimes carried weapons called torpedoes, but some navies stopped using them because they were dangerous. Japan, however, used very big torpedoes that gave them an advantage in battles during World War II.

Heavy cruisers were used after World War II, with some turned into ships that could guide missiles for defense.

German pocket battleships

The German Deutschland class were special ships built to follow old rules but still carry very big guns. They were called "pocket battleships" because, though small, they had guns as big as those on much larger warships. These ships were used by Germany during World War II.

Large cruiser

The American Alaska class were very big cruisers meant to fight other large warships. They had huge guns but were designed more like heavy cruisers than battleships.

Anti-aircraft cruisers

Further information: Anti-aircraft cruiser

Before warships had missiles, some cruisers were changed to fight airplanes better. They removed some guns and added weapons that could shoot up into the sky. Later, new ships were built with guns that could fight both airplanes and other ships. After World War II, most cruisers were designed to defend against airplanes using missiles instead of guns. Today, these ships are called guided-missile cruisers.

World War II

Cruisers played important roles during World War II. In the early part of the war, they were involved in many sea battles and helped protect groups of ships like carriers and battleships. As the war continued, cruisers from both sides took on new duties, such as protecting ships from airplanes and bombing areas on land.

Japanese cruisers also helped protect their big ships, especially during big battles like the Battle of the Philippine Sea. Before the war, cruisers were split into three main types: heavy cruisers, light cruisers, and auxiliary cruisers. Heavy cruisers were the biggest, with thick armor and powerful guns for attacking other ships and land targets. Light cruisers were smaller and faster, often used for scouting and quick attacks.

During World War II, many important battles showed how crucial cruisers were. They helped in protecting convoys, fighting off attacks, and supporting other ships. The way cruisers were used changed over time, reflecting the evolving needs of naval warfare.

Late 20th century

The rise of air power during World War II changed naval battles forever. Even the fastest ships couldn't escape attacks from the air, where planes carried weapons that could hit from far away. This shift meant that navies had to change how they fought. Instead of single ships operating alone, large groups of ships were needed to protect against these new threats. The US Navy focused on groups of ships centered around aircraft carriers, with cruisers and other ships helping to defend against attacks from the sky and support attacks on land.

The US Navy prepared for the danger of missiles right after World War II. They upgraded their weapons on new cruisers and developed advanced missile defense systems. These included three main types of missile defense systems designed to protect against different ranges of attacks. The development of these systems was pushed forward by a key naval leader.

Over time, many cruisers were updated to carry missiles instead of just guns. These updates allowed them to defend against aircraft and attack enemy ships from far away. The US Navy also built new ships that combined features of both cruisers and destroyers, making it harder to tell them apart. Other countries, like those in NATO, also updated their cruisers with new missiles for defense. In the Soviet Navy, some cruisers were updated with anti-aircraft missiles, though not all updates were successful.

Before new, larger ships called Ticonderoga-class cruisers were introduced, the US Navy had ships that were called cruisers but were known by different names like frigates or destroyers. This changed in 1975 when the Navy reorganized how it named its ships, making it clearer which ships were cruisers, destroyers, and frigates. This helped avoid confusion with other navies around the world.

In the Soviet Navy, cruisers were important for leading groups of ships into battle. After World War II, they built many cruisers with powerful missiles designed to attack enemy ships from long distances. These cruisers could carry many missiles and were a key part of the Soviet Navy's strategy.

With the end of the Cold War, many navies reduced their fleets. Russia, facing money problems, had to stop using or update many of its ships. The large Kirov-class cruisers, built in the 1970s and 1980s, are still used by Russia for important duties. The US Navy continues to use its Ticonderoga-class cruisers, which have been updated many times to stay effective.

Some other countries also have ships called cruisers, but many use guided-missile destroyers for similar roles. The US and Russian navies are the main ones that still officially use the term "cruiser" for some of their ships today.

Some navies have tried adding aircraft to cruisers. For example, Sweden had a ship called Gotland, and Japan converted a cruiser to carry planes during World War II. The Soviet Union built unusual ships that combined features of cruisers and aircraft carriers, designed to carry helicopters and fight submarines. These ships were very large, similar in size to aircraft carriers.

One idea studied by the United States in the late 1980s was a new type of cruiser that could carry aircraft. This ship would have had a deck for planes, a hangar to store them, and advanced weapons and technology. However, this plan was stopped because the Cold War ended, and the project never moved forward.

Operators

Main article: List of cruiser classes in service

Few cruisers are still used by navies around the world today. Some of the remaining ones include:

• The Hellenic Navy keeps the cruiser Georgios Averof for special events because of its history.
• The Russian Navy has 2 Kirov class and 2 Slava-class guided-missile cruisers, along with the heavy aviation cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov. The cruiser Aurora was brought back into service for important events due to its history.
• The United States Navy has 7 Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruisers in use and 15 more stored for future needs.

Some cruisers are not yet finished or are waiting to be completed, such as the Ukraina, a Slava-class cruiser that Ukraine inherited but has not yet finished building.

Certain large ships that some consider cruisers, even though they are called destroyers by their navy, include:

• The People's Liberation Army Navy has the first Type 055 destroyer, which many believe is too big and well-equipped to be just a destroyer.
• The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force has several large destroyers, including the Atago-class, Hyūga-class, and Maya-class, which some think are more like cruisers.
• The Republic of Korea Navy has 4 Sejong the Great-class destroyers that many think are actually cruisers because of their size and weapons.
• The United States Navy also has 2 Zumwalt-class destroyers that are much larger and more capable than its other cruisers.

Future development

Many navies around the world are planning new and exciting ships for the future. The People's Liberation Army Navy will add more destroyers to its fleet, and the Pakistan Navy is working on new ships that will join by 2028. The German Navy has ordered big ships called frigates, with more on the way. The Indian Navy plans to build several large destroyers, and the Italian Navy is creating its biggest warships since World War II.

The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force will build large cruisers, and the Russian Navy is designing even bigger destroyers. The Republic of Korea Navy is adding more powerful destroyers, and the Royal Navy is developing new, large destroyers. The United States Navy is also working on new ships that will be some of the biggest ever made.

Museum ships

Several old cruisers have been saved from being broken up and are now open for people to visit as museums around the world. Some of these ships include:

• A copy of the Chinese cruiser Zhiyuan in Dandong, China.
• Greek armored cruiser Georgios Averof in Athens, Greece.
• Russian cruiser Aurora in St. Petersburg, Russia.
• Soviet cruiser Mikhail Kutuzov in Novorossiysk, Russia.
• HMS Belfast in London, England.
• HMS Caroline in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
• USS Olympia in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
• USS Little Rock in Buffalo, New York.
• USS Salem in Quincy, Massachusetts.
• Bow section of Puglia in La Spezia, Italy

Former operators

Many navies around the world once used cruisers as important ships. For example, the Argentine Navy lost its last cruiser, the Brooklyn-class cruiser ARA General Belgrano, during the Falklands War in 1982. The Austro-Hungarian Navy lost all its ships after World War I ended.

Other navies, like the Royal Australian Navy, also stopped using their cruisers. They decommissioned their last ones in 1949. The Belgian Navy returned its only cruiser to France in 1920. Many other countries, such as Brazil, Canada, and Chile, also stopped using their cruisers in different years. Some ships were sold, while others were broken apart after they were no longer needed.