What is the difference between.

If only they'd invent something like Google where you could type that in and get an answer for yourself instead of being a lazy-azz.

An extremely simplistic answer concerning WWII, is size with battleship the largest with largest longest range guns and heaviest armor. Cruiser can be of similar over all size, same size guns but less armor=less weight it is faster and has longer cruising range than battleship, is more vulnerable to a hit, relies on speed and maneuverability for defense.
Destroyers, originally Torpedo Boat Destroyers, are fast and maneuverable intended as escort vessels especially against even smaller faster torpedo boats. Lightly armored and lightly gunned they rely on speed and maneuverability for offense and defense. By WWI and especially WWII their speed and maneuverability lent them to a variety of modifications and adaptions and purposes, especially in anti-aircraft and anti-submarine roles.



"Pardon me while I have a strange interlude"- Marx

Are you talking currently or traditionally?

Currently there are no Battleships.
The last battleshios in the world were the 4 Modernized WW2 Battleships of the Iowa Class
USS Iowa
USS New Jersey
USS Missouri
USS Wisconsin

All were permanently decommissioned in the early 90's.


Most Modern warships are fairly multi-mission capable. There is not much difference in ferms of firepower or mission capability beteeen a modern Cruiser and Destroyer. A Cruiser is going to be somewhat larger and carry more total weapons, have more bunkerage and greater range without refueling, but not much difference. Take a look at the Arleigh Burke Destroyer vs the Ticonderoga Cruiser by way of example.

Most modern Navies don't even have Cruisers. Only the US Navy and Russian Navy have true Cruisers. The Destroyer or Frigate is generally the largest most capable ship in most other navies.



Traditionally the was a much greater gap between ship types.

The Battleship was the largest, most armored warship there was, with the largest most powerful weapons.

It was capable of wiping the ocean clean of all other ships but other Battleships.

A slugfest between Battleships was truly a sight to behold. No other ships stood a chance.

During the Battle of Samar, the largest most powerful Battleship in History found itself and fellow warships facing off against the American ships of task force Taffy 3. The Yamato weighed as much in tonnage as all 13 US ships combined, including the 6 carriers. Just one Turret of her 18 inch guns weighed as much as an entire Fletcher class Destroyer.

A Cruiser on the other hand Had nearly the same weapons and guns as a Battleship, was nearly the same size or only slightly smaller. but were more lightly armored and much faster than the slow battleships. a trade-off between speed and agility vs Armor and hitting power.

Destroyers were much smaller vessels. lightly to no armor at all. and were primarily used for scouting and screening a larger force and for anti-submarine duties.


Just by looking at them, unless you knew your ships specifically, one would be hard pressed to tell the difference between Battleships and cruisers. Both were massive ships with huge mostrous guns in massive turrets.

Destroyers are easily told apart from them being much much smaller and only lightly armed and armored.


I joined the Navy to see the world, only to discover the world is 2/3 water!