More Soviet cruisers could revive the US strike-cruiser program

How would the United States respond if Gorshkov built more carriers and large cruisers?

The US Navy would likely build true strike cruisers rather than relying mainly on reclassified destroyer leaders.

The historical US strike-cruiser debate was linked to concern over large Soviet surface combatants. More Soviet construction would strengthen the case for an earlier, purpose-built American cruiser response. The United States would not be satisfied merely by reclassifying destroyer leaders as cruisers if the visible Soviet imbalance kept growing. A true strike-cruiser program would in turn affect the scale and composition of both fleets' surface forces.