The American scout cruiser is a small, fast vessel intended to confront destroyers and lead destroyer flotillas. It also scouts ahead of the battle fleet, supplying the information needed for fleet action. The Royal Navy could assign the same reconnaissance task to a wider range of ships, including armoured cruisers and battlecruisers. These different approaches tie the scout-cruiser type to fleet organization as much as to guns and speed.
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Scout cruisers: information and destroyer leadership
The scout-cruiser concept combines destroyer leadership with the fleet's need for forward information.