We examine the merit of building nuclear-powered cruisers for the US Navy in the current strategic environment. America used to have nuclear guided missile cruisers (CGN) in the Cold War, including the USS Long Beach, the Bainbridge, the Truxtun, the California class, and the Virginia class. We break down the advantages of nuclear surface combatants, including operational flexibility and power generation. We then weigh these benefits up against the disadvantages, chiefly in the form of procurement cost, before drawing a final conclusion.
