The technical discussion shifts from reactor endurance to the ordinary limit imposed by provisions for the crew. Roughly 45 days of food is given as the practical figure, with French bread, cheese, and wine used humorously to make the logistical point. A nuclear-powered ship may avoid frequent propulsion refuelling, but its people still require stores and replenishment. Endurance must be assessed across the whole ship rather than from its power plant alone.
Notable Point · 33:11-33:55
Why food still limits a nuclear carrier's endurance
The carrier's roughly 45 days of provisions show that nuclear propulsion removes a fuel constraint without removing the human and logistical limits on time at sea.