USS Evans, a Fletcher-class destroyer, and the Flight III Arleigh Burke USS Jack H. Lucas illustrate the change in destroyer scale. The quoted loaded displacements are about 2,500 tons and 9,500 long tons respectively, although the ton-to-long-ton conversion given alongside them is unclear. Weapons bring weight through their supporting systems as well as the weapons themselves. Earlier fire control relied heavily on trained people and mechanical aids, while the modern destroyer carries a much larger sensor installation. Different geographical tasks, threats and construction constraints also affect the comparison.
Chapter · 6:07-9:29
Why a Flight III Burke dwarfs a Fletcher
The Fletcher and Flight III Burke comparison introduces the weapons, sensors, geography and construction pressures behind destroyer growth.