History: Destroyer

Destroyers are fast and maneuverable, long-endurance warships. The primary mission of the destroyer is to escort larger vessels in a fleet or battle group and defend them against smaller, short-range attackers (originally torpedo boats, later submarines and aircraft). Before World War II, destroyers were a type of light combatant which did not have the endurance for unattended oceanic operations, and thus operated typically with a number of destroyers and a single destroyer tender; during and after the war, they became independent vessels and grew in both tonnage and importance, especially as cruisers began to be paid off in the 1950s and 60s.

At the beginning of the 21st century, destroyers are the heaviest surface combatant vessels in general use, with only four nations (the United States, Russia, France and Peru) operating cruisers and none operating battleships.1 Modern destroyers are equivalent in tonnage but drastically superior in firepower to cruisers of the World War II era, capable of carrying nuclear missiles able to destroy cities in a very small volley.