From cruiser labels back to destroyers doing the cruiser job

The conclusion follows the changing labels attached to the cruiser role. Traditional cruisers gave way to large frigates or destroyer leaders that were subsequently called cruisers, while destroyer-derived Ticonderogas inherited the name in turn. As the Ticonderogas leave service, destroyers again assume the cruising and command role. The projected replacements are larger than many of the ships officially called cruisers in preceding decades. Mission, fleet organization, and political context can matter more than the title attached to a class.