Warfare, Surface

Types of Warships

Warships are grouped in categories for classification purposes, though the definition of each individual category may have changed throughout the 20th century. Aircraft carriers are among the largest of naval warships, carrying 10 to 70 aircraft or helicopters that operate from a flight deck. As the center of naval battle groups, carriers are capital ships, warships used to gauge the relative strength of navies, and a component of a nation’s international naval image.

Cruisers are large, multipurpose warships designed to operate at sea against a multitude of threats. Cruisers often carry surface-to-air missiles, antiship missiles, torpedoes, guns, and one or more helicopters. Some cruisers carry land-attack missiles capable of attacking targets several hundred miles from the sea. These warships are capable of operating independently or as part of a larger task force, often serving as escorts for aircraft carriers. The U.S. Navy operates more cruisers than any other navy, all of them belonging to the Ticonderoga class of missile cruisers.

Destroyers primarily escort larger warships, though they can be detached from task forces for independent operations. Historically, destroyers served as escorts for larger warships and were considered too lightly armed to operate without support. As destroyers have grown in armament, their capacity for independent operation has increased. These vessels are equipped with weapons similar to those installed on cruisers, though some destroyers do not have a helicopter. The growth in destroyer capabilities has blurred the line between cruisers and destroyers.

Frigates and corvettes are also escorts by design, equipped with similar, though fewer, weapons than destroyers. In larger navies, frigates are most often found in an escort role, while in smaller navies frigates may be the largest warship in service. Frigates and corvettes are not typically equipped with a helicopter, though surface-to-air missiles, antiship missiles, guns, and torpedoes are common.

Patrol craft are warships smaller than frigates and corvettes used for coastal operations and patrolling. Equipped with machine guns, small caliber guns, and antiship missiles, patrol craft typically lack the defensive armament of larger warships. Due to their smaller size, patrol craft travel at higher speeds than frigates and destroyers, enabling them to rapidly close with their targets. Patrol craft are vulnerable to damage and lack the armor or damage control facilities to continue operations after repeated hits from guns or missiles.

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