Cruiser
Cruiser, a fast, large warship with light armor and heavy firepower. Cruisers are designed to destroy other surface vessels, submarines, and aircraft. Their principal armament is the guided missile. Other weapons on cruisers are torpedoes, antisubmarine rockets, automatic cannon, and guns. Many cruisers carry a helicopter. In some navies, the cruiser is used to protect aircraft carriers as well as to carry out offensive operations. Cruisers often serve as command ships.
Cruisers were originally medium-size all-gun vessels, designed to combine some of the firepower of battleships with the speed and maneuverability of destroyers. Cruisers close to battleship size were often designated heavy cruisers, and those close to destroyer size, light cruisers. The development of the guided missile cruiser in the 1960's made the all-gun type obsolete, and it was eventually replaced with the newer type.