Independent presence missions for nuclear cruisers

A former sailor recalls nuclear cruisers staying on station for months during counter-narcotics work without fuel replenishment. Fresh food, mail, notice before deployment, and crew morale became limiting factors before propulsion did. The response therefore accepts the flexibility of nuclear cruisers as independent presence ships for hotspots and counter-criminal patrols. It nevertheless argues for them alongside, rather than instead of, the escorts needed to accompany nuclear carriers, using roughly one and a half cruisers per carrier as a force-planning rule of thumb.