Projected nuclear-ship construction remains theoretical until the United States has yards certified and worked up to deliver it. New facilities require years to establish, while their skilled workforces take additional time to reach full productivity. Interwar German, Italian, and Soviet fleet ambitions show why a desired hull count cannot substitute for actual industrial capacity. Repeated changes to ship size or requirements compound the delay by forcing yards and designs to adapt again.
Notable Point · 13:14-15:24
Nuclear shipyard capacity comes before nuclear fleet growth
The plan's ambition for more nuclear-powered ships runs into the limited number of certified yards and the long lead time needed to build facilities and skilled workforces.