United States Navy 1975 ship reclassification The United States Navy reclassified many of its surface vessels in 1975 , changing terminology and hull classification symbol s for cruiser s , frigate s , and ocean escort s . Classification prior to 1975 . From the 1950s to 1975 , the Navy had three types of fast task force escorts and one type of convoy escort . The task force escorts were cruisers ( CAG / CLG / CG ) , frigates or destroyer - leaders ( DL / DLG ) , and destroyer s ( DD / DDG ) ; the convoy escorts were ocean escorts ( DE / DEG ) , often known as destroyer escort s . Added in the early 1970s was a new ocean escort called the patrol frigate ( PF ) . In 1975 , these classifications were simplified to cruiser ( CG ) , destroyer ( DD / DDG ) , and frigate ( FF / FFG ) . Under the pre - 1975 classification , cruisers were large vessels , the size of World War II gun cruisers , intended as the primary surface combatants . All but one ( USS " Long Beach " ( CGN - 9 ) ) were converted WWII gun cruisers ( CL / CLG or CA / CAG ) , carrying either Talos or Terrier , and in some cases also Tartar missiles . One cruiser was to be assigned to each carrier group . There were relatively few of these ships , due to their cost and because the frigates could carry almost as many weapons as a cruiser . From 1950 to 1975 , frigates were a new type , midway between cruiser and destroyer sizes , intended as major task force escorts . The first ship of the type was a redesignated ASW cruiser ; the next four were very large AAW ( gun ) destroyers , and the remainder were essentially oversize guided missile destroyers . They carried the mid - range Terrier missile , but no offensive ( strategic ) weapons . Destroyers were developed from the WWII designs as the smallest fast task force escorts . DDs were fast ASW ships ; DDGs were AAW ships carrying the short - range Tartar missile . Ocean escorts were an evolution of the WWII destroyer escort types . They were intended as convoy escorts and were designed for mobilization production in wartime or low - cost mass production in peacetime . DEs were ASW vessels ; DEGs were AAW vessels with the Tartar . The U . S . frigate classification was not used by any other navy ; similar vessels were either cruisers or destroyers in foreign service . The ocean escort type corresponded to foreign frigates ( convoy escorts ) . The " cruiser gap " . The Soviet s defined " cruiser " differently , considering ships equivalent to U . S . frigates to be " cruisers . " By 1974 , there were only six ships in U . S . service classified as cruisers , but the Soviets had 19 ships classified as cruisers in service with seven more building . ( All totals exclude gun - only cruisers . ) All but two of the Soviet ships were relatively small vessels , roughly equivalent to U . S . frigates and far smaller than U . S . cruisers . The differing U . S . and Soviet definitions of " cruiser " caused political problems when comparisons were made between U . S . and Soviet naval forces . A table comparing U . S . and Soviet cruiser forces showed six U . S . ships vs . 19 Soviet ships , despite the existence of 21 U . S . " frigates " equal or superior to the Soviet " cruisers . " This led to the perception of a non - existent " cruiser gap . " Closing the gap . To close this " gap , " the U . S . frigate ( DL / DLG ) classification was eliminated on 30 June 1975 . All the gun frigates ( DL ) had already been stricken . Most of the DLGs became cruisers ( CG ) , but the smaller " Farragut " s became destroyers ( DDG ) . All of the nuclear - powered DLGNs , existing or in construction , were redesignated as CGNs . The change from DLG to CG redefined " cruiser " as smaller ships , more like large destroyers . Cruiser classifications were also simplified , with the guided missile light cruisers ( CLG ) simply becoming CGs . Gun cruisers were provided the designation " CA " at this time , but the last remaining gun cruiser , " Newport News " , was decommissioned in 1975 , so the designation was and remains theoretical . The ocean escorts ( DE / DEG ) and patrol frigates ( PF ) became frigates ( FF / FFG ) . These changes brought U . S . Navy classifications into line with foreign classifications , and eliminated the perceived " cruiser gap . " A final change came on 1 January 1980 , when the " Ticonderoga " - class destroyers ( DDG ) became cruisers ( CG ) .