The reactor discussion grounds the common claim that nuclear ships have unlimited range. Fitting two C1W reactors into a cruiser hull helps explain Long Beach's dimensions and deep draft. Nuclear fuel does not make endurance literally infinite; the relevant fuel interval is measured in years rather than nautical miles. Propulsion fuel largely disappears as an operational constraint while machinery, stores, crew needs, and eventual reactor chemistry still impose limits.
Notable Point · 12:50-14:34
Nuclear endurance measured in years, not nautical miles
Long Beach's reactor plant changed the unit of endurance from nautical miles to years, while machinery, provisions, and maintenance still constrained operations.