Aircraft cruiser

The aircraft cruiser or cruiser-carrier was originally a 1930-ies experimental concept of creating an all-around warship, trying to combine all the good features of the aircraft carrier and the heavy cruiser. The aircraft cruisers were usually armed with relatively heavy artillery, mines and a number of aircraft fitted with floaters (it was a kind of seaplane tender).

The early aircraft cruiser turned out to be quite an unsuccessful design. The rapid development of naval aircraft in the 30-ies quickly rendered the vessels obsolete and they were rebuilt into e.g. anti-aircraft cruisers.

A more modern derivative of the aircraft cruiser is the helicopter cruiser. The Invincible class aircraft carrier aircraft carriers of the Royal Navy can also be considered and originally classed as cruisers.

Aircraft cruisers

Early types

*"Mogami"
*HMS "Gotland"

Later types

*"Kiev" class
*"Admiral Kuznetsov"

ee also

* Seaplane tender
* Helicopter carrier