kryssare

Kryssare is the Swedish term for cruiser, a class of mid-sized warship designed for speed, endurance and multi-role capability. In naval usage, cruisers sit between destroyers and battleships, built to scout for the fleet, protect shipping lanes, and project sea power over long distances.

Historically, cruisers were divided into protected, armored, light and heavy types. Protected cruisers relied on an armored deck for protection; armored cruisers used heavier armor and stronger guns. In the interwar period and during World War II, heavy cruisers commonly carried about 8-inch (203 mm) guns, while light cruisers carried smaller calibers. After the war, missile technology transformed the role and design of cruisers, and many navies reduced the class in favor of missile-armed destroyers and dedicated air-defense ships.

In modern practice, cruisers are large, long-range combatants equipped with vertical launch systems for missiles, strong anti-air warfare capabilities, anti-ship and anti-submarine weapons, and often a helicopter or air-wing. The category has become more fluid as ships take on multiple roles, but the term remains in use for certain large, multi-mission ships in many navies.

In Swedish naval history, kryssare has referred to various mid-sized combatants and is now primarily used in historical contexts or when translating older texts; internationally, the term aligns with the broader concept of the cruiser class.