Which type of ship serves the purpose of a Destroyer Tender?

A Destroyer Tender is specifically designed to provide support, maintenance, and repair services to destroyers and other small combatant ships. The correct choice, which is AD, refers to a Tender ship that falls under this classification.

These ships carry equipment and supplies necessary for the effective operation of the destroyers, including fuel, ammunition, and spare parts, while also offering repair facilities and services. This enables destroyers to maintain operational readiness without needing to return to port frequently, thus extending their time at sea for missions and deployments.

The other classifications of ships, like AH, AS, and ARS, have different specific functions, such as hospital ships, submarines tenders, and salvage vessels, respectively, but they do not serve the primary support function of a Destroyer Tender.