Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 26:05-28:31

Pacific range makes logistics part of warship design

The notional Golden Fleet's endurance question leads to a concrete example of a carrier group losing replenishment support.

Arleigh Burke Class DestroyersCarrier GroupsFleet LogisticsNuclear Powered CruisersPacific OceanReplenishment At SeaUsns Big HornUSS Abraham Lincoln CVN 72
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Question

What might new US cruisers or Burke replacements contribute to the notional Golden Fleet?

Short answer

Mercogliano's answer centers on larger, longer-ranged combatants supported by the replenishment ships needed for oceanic carrier movements.

Notes

The December 2025 Golden Fleet discussion concerns a notional larger combatant with more endurance, rather than a return to an Iowa-style battleship. Sal Mercogliano identifies Burke range as a constraint on moving escorts rapidly with nuclear carriers. Nuclear-powered cruisers supply the historical comparison for escorts able to sustain those movements. He cites the grounding of USNS Big Horn and the resulting shortage of replenishment support for the Abraham Lincoln group, which he says temporarily fell to one destroyer escort. A commercial tanker provided an interim measure in that account. Jamie Seidel adds that Australia's new tankers were also unavailable for assistance because they were under repair.