A cruiser is a surface warship used by modern navies for doing battle against light enemy naval forces. One of its main tasks is to escort and defend aircraft carriers and other capital ships. Along with destroyers, the cruiser also protects convoys, supporting marine landing parties. This modern war vessel also provides fire support for the coastal flanks of ground forces, laying minefields, and performing other combat missions.
Cruisers (as a class of warships) had first appeared in Great Britain in the 1860’s, while the Russian Navy introduced its first cruiser in the 1870’s. In Russia, cruisers were subdivided in 1892 into first-rank cruisers (armor-clad and armor-decked) and second-rank cruisers, which were called light cruisers. During World War II (1939–45) the class of cruisers was divided into the sub-classes of heavy and light cruisers. In the navies of certain nations (the United States of America and Great Britain) there was a class of line cruisers (the largest armor-clad ships after battle-ships, with heavy turreted artillery). In the 1960’s missile cruisers, air defense cruisers, anti-submarine cruisers, and other types appeared in the navies of various countries. In the anti-submarine role, this type of warship has partially replaced the destroyer.
The main weapons of present-day cruisers are rifled (102–203 mm) artillery and missile complexes, composed of surface-to-air, anti-ship, and land-attack missiles. In addition, this modern warship is also armed with torpedoes (six to eight tubes), and mines (up to 200–300). Most cruisers have one or two light aircraft, which are launched by catapults, or one or two helicopters, which are used for reconnaissance and adjustment of fire. Today, drones are also used. The basic dimensions of cruisers are as follows: length, up to 200–220 m; width, 20–23 m; draft, up to 8 m. The displacement of light cruisers is 7,000–9,000 tons, and for heavy cruisers it is up to 20,000–30,000 tons. The main engines are steam turbines with a capacity of 44.2–88.4 megawatts (60,000–120,000 horsepower), crew sizes range from 600 to 1,300, and cruising speeds go up to 30–35 knots (55–65 km/hr). The full cruising range is 9,000–12,000 miles (17,000–22,000 km).
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| Above, a Slava-class cruiser of the Russian Navy sailing in the Black Sea. |