The final comparison uses Enterprise to show how long a nuclear-powered ship can remain relevant when it has enough size for repeated modernization. Enterprise entered service in 1961 and was not stricken until 2017, a span of roughly 56 years. Long Beach was also commissioned in 1961 but deactivated in 1994 and decommissioned in 1995 after about 33 years. Another two decades were technically imaginable, even though the cost and difficulty of the required upgrades explain why the Navy chose retirement.
Notable Point · 49:11-50:58
Enterprise shows the service life Long Beach did not receive
Enterprise's 56-year commissioned-to-stricken span contrasts with Long Beach's roughly 33 years and underlines the value of size and modernization margin.