How much does cruising speed change a fleet's transit time?

What difference does cruising at 10 rather than 12 knots make on a voyage from New York to San Diego through the Panama Canal?

The estimates are nearly 21 days at 10 knots and 16.9 days at 12 knots, so two additional cruising knots save several days.

The New York-to-San Diego comparison gives nearly 21 days at 10 knots, 16.9 days at 12 knots, and a little over 14 days at 14 knots. A modest improvement in cruising speed therefore removes several days from a long deployment. At the higher example speeds, the estimates are 9.6 days at 21 knots and 8.4 days at 24 knots. Maximum speed remains useful for manoeuvring in battle, while strategic movement depends on the speed a force can sustain over the voyage. Nuclear-powered American carriers provide a later example of sustained high cruising speed. Their escorts also needed sufficient endurance and power to maintain that pace, which supplies the connection to nuclear cruisers.