Why does the plan buy one carrier every four years?

Why does the long-range plan procure aircraft carriers at roughly four-year intervals rather than at a faster rate?

The four-year interval matches an approximately eight-year construction cycle, allowing about two carriers to be under construction at once without exceeding the established yard tempo.

The plan schedules carrier procurements in 2029, 2033, 2037, 2041, 2045, 2049, and 2053. Each hull takes about eight years to build. A new order every four years therefore leaves two carriers moving through construction simultaneously. The cadence reflects the capacity and rhythm of the existing production system rather than an assumption that only one carrier is being worked on at a time.