Could the US Navy speed production by enlarging an Arleigh Burke to about 22,500 tons as the basis for a new cruiser?
Short answerUse a modern hull, potentially a larger DDG(X)-based design, rather than extending the old Burke design again.
NotesThe question proposes a substantially enlarged Arleigh Burke as a shortcut to a new cruiser. The objection is that the existing design has already been stretched across a long service and development life. A modern hull is preferred, with DDG(X)'s new hull used as the example. A larger version of that newer design is suggested as a more suitable starting point for a cruiser.