A shipyard may occupy the same geographical site while its slipway, load points, and supporting infrastructure are extensively rebuilt for heavier ships. Carrier design poses a similar problem because planners must allow for aircraft that may enter service decades after the ship is laid down. Cost, engineering work, and physical distribution of weight all matter more than a superficial claim that a yard has built there before. Long-lived naval infrastructure must accommodate future loads as well as the equipment visible on the day of construction.
Notable Point · 22:53-25:21
Shipyards and carriers must be designed for future loads
The same long-term thinking that shapes carriers around future aircraft also determines whether a shipyard slipway can handle a larger successor hull.