The proposed large US surface combatant shows how nuclear certification, slip dimensions, and limited yard throughput shape design choices. A nuclear-powered version would narrow construction to yards qualified for surface reactors, while even a conventionally powered ship would require slips and facilities able to accept its dimensions. If infrastructure fixes the number of hulls that can be built each year, decision-makers gain an incentive to make every available hull as capable as possible. Industrial scarcity can therefore drive warship growth even when tactical requirements alone do not demand a larger ship.
Notable Point · 19:13-21:34
Limited shipyard capacity favors larger hulls
When yards and building slips cap annual hull output, navies gain an incentive to pack more capability into every ship they can produce.