Blue Ridge and Mount Whitney illustrate how long a specialised command capability can remain in service. The dates checked during the exchange are 1970 and 1971, giving the ships more than fifty years of service by the time of this recording. Their hull and machinery lineage is traced to the Iwo Jima-class amphibious assault ships. The continued use of steam boilers initially prompts uncertainty, then receives confirmation during the conversation. The proposed replacement ship would preserve the command role while adding the speed and support facilities discussed for a future fleet flagship.
Notable Point · 2:14:27-2:17:44
Blue Ridge and Mount Whitney's unusually long service
The two American command ships retain a specialised fleet role decades after the amphibious ships associated with their design have disappeared.