[ThunderSleeps]

At 14,500 tons, the Zumwalt displaces more than the WWII heavy cruiser Chicago, at 13,600 tons. Despite the DDG designation, the Zumwalt is a capital ship.

You're right. For comparison everyone, consider:

The WWII era Fletcher class destroyer was a light, fast 2500 ton or so. The modern flight III Arleigh Burke DDGs are (IMHO) a bit big for a destroyer designation at 9800 tons. (light cruiser anyone?) That's about the same as the Ticonderoga class CGs. Admittedly the Ticonderoga class CGs are just a bulked-up Spruance class DDs which were 8000 ton or so. The old Virgina class CGN - nuclear powered guided missile cruisers - were 11,600 ton.

So yeah, the Zumwalt DDGs at 14,500 are seriously stretching the notion of what a destroyer is. If you're going to call the Ticonderoga and Virgina cruisers then based on size, capability, and planned numbers you really should call the Zumwalt a cruiser or even a heavy cruiser. (ie a CG not DDG)

[tanknetter]

And recall that the Virginia CGNs weren’t really cruisers either. They had their origins in the Leahy-class “Destroyer Leaders” DLG. Also called Frigates.

With the WWII cruisers leaving service in the early 1970s, the need to preserve O6 sea command billets and the desire to bring the Frigate designation in line with our NATO allies use of it, the DLG/DLGNs were rebranded as Cruisers while the Destroyer Escorts became Frigates.