A destroyer tender is a ship designed to provide maintenance support to a flotilla of destroyers or other small warships. The use of this class has faded from its peak in the first half of the 20th century as the roles of small combatants have evolved (in conjunction with technological advances in propulsion reliability and efficiency).
Due to the increased size and automation of modern destroyers, tenders are no longer as necessary as they once were. In the United States Navy, the last destroyer tender class was the Yellowstone-class Destroyer Tender.
Famous quotes containing the words destroyer and/or tender:
“There is a concept that is the corrupter and destroyer of all others. I speak not of Evil, whose limited empire is that of ethics; I speak of the infinite.”
—Jorge Luis Borges (1899–1986)
““In short, Isabella, since I cannot give you my son, I offer you myself.” -- “Heavens!” cried Isabella ... “what do I hear! You, my lord! You! my father in law! the father of Conrad! the husband of the virtuous and tender Hippolita!” -- “I tell you,” said Manfred imperiously, “Hippolita is no longer my wife; I divorce her from this hour.””
—Horace Walpole (1717–1797)