Cruisers are and have been the lynchpin of the Navy. Long range, operating singly or in a fleet keeping sea lanes open.
The old Ticonderoga class cruisers are getting a bit long of tooth, the most recent commissioned in 1994.
They run around 10,000 tons and there are still 22 in commission.
Technology has come a long way since 1994.
The new Arleigh Burke destroyers also run nearly 10,000 tons, are in current production and state of the art.
There are 68 in commission, 10 more in production.
It's not clear in what ways the old Ticonderoga's could be superior to the newer Arleigh Burkes.