The discussion turns from gun technology to what navies mean when they call a ship a cruiser. In this interpretation, the Ticonderoga class consists of destroyer leaders whose cruiser designation reflects command and group roles more than the traditional type. A cruiser should also be able to deploy independently for global presence and substitute for a larger task group when necessary. The Arleigh Burke class may fit that independent general-purpose role better despite being unambiguously called a destroyer. Classification, institutional status and operational employment can point in different directions.
Notable Point · 57:18-58:50
Cruiser labels versus the independent cruising role
The Ticonderoga discussion separates an administrative cruiser label from the traditional ability to cruise independently as a global-presence ship.