Safety remained the defining feature of Rickover's program, but his institutional reach was uneven across the fleet. He held enormous authority over the nuclear submarine force and interviewed aviators who might command nuclear-powered aircraft carriers. Rickover was less involved with the nuclear surface cruisers. His earlier destroyer and battleship service might have made surface nuclear propulsion a natural extension of his interests, which makes that boundary striking.
Notable Point · 24:22-25:20
Rickover's control of submarines and carrier captains
Rickover exercised his strongest control over nuclear submarines and prospective carrier captains while showing less enthusiasm for nuclear-powered cruisers.