An Alaska-sized nuclear missile cruiser instead of Long Beach

What if the US Navy built a nuclear, missile-armed Alaska derivative instead of USS Long Beach?

It could replace much of the Iowa revival's gunfire role, serve as a fleet-group leader, and drive a costly Soviet large-cruiser escalation.

The proposal combines an Alaska-sized hull, a retained forward 12-inch turret, nuclear propulsion, missiles, and helicopter facilities. An early Long Beach-era ship would need trainable launchers, with vertical launch systems arriving on later versions. Heavy gunfire for amphibious support could remove much of the reason for retaining Iowa-class battleships. A limited force could lead carrier escorts and surface action groups, with an illustrative fleet of 14 or 15 large cruisers supporting 11 carriers and providing additional presence. A speculative later fit of roughly 256 vertical-launch cells and around 32 Harpoons could combine a large strike with substantial air defence. Such ships would not necessarily become the standard size for every cruiser. They could encourage a Soviet response with larger Kirovs, while their cost and approval by Congress remain unresolved.