Editing Light cruiser (section)

{{short description|Type of small to medium-sized warship}}
[[File:London November 2013-14a.jpg|thumb|right|300px|[[HMS Belfast|HMS ''Belfast'']], one of the last surviving light cruisers. She carries 12 [[BL 6-inch Mk XXIII naval gun|6-inch guns]] and displaces 11,553 tons – "light" in World War II referred to gun size, not displacement.]]

A '''light cruiser''' is a type of small or medium-sized [[warship]]. The term is a shortening of the phrase "light [[armored cruiser]]", describing a small ship that carried armor in the same way as an armored cruiser: a protective belt and deck. Prior to this smaller cruisers had been of the [[protected cruiser]] model, possessing armored decks only. While lighter and smaller than other contemporary ships they were still true cruisers, retaining the extended radius of action and self-sufficiency to act independently around the world.  Cruisers mounting larger guns and heavier armor relative to most light cruisers would come to be known as [[heavy cruisers]], though the designation of 'light' versus 'heavy' cruisers would vary somewhat between navies. Through their history light cruisers served in a variety of roles, primarily on long-range detached patrol work, covering other military operations or global shipping lanes, as scouts and fleet support vessels for battle fleets, as destroyer command ships, fire-support vessels or even as convoy escorts.