The closing question moves the release of British rearmament funding from 1937 to 1935 and assumes the Second London Naval Treaty collapses before agreement. King George V-class construction advances, while three pairs of Lions are ordered in 1937, 1938, and 1939 so the ships can enter service in stages. Flower-class and Hunt-class escort orders may still wait until their historical design and ordering dates, showing that earlier capital-ship spending does not automatically accelerate every programme. The resulting 1939 fleet could include five King George V-class ships, Nelson and Rodney, one or perhaps two Vanguard-type ships, modernized battlecruisers and Queen Elizabeth-class battleships, with older R-class ships likely retired first. A second Ark Royal-type carrier is raised as another possible consequence. The question leaves the outcome open and asks how this larger force would change fleet composition.
Notable Point · 1:20:23-1:24:38
A 1935 Royal Navy rearmament scenario
The closing counterfactual asks how rearmament beginning in 1935 might alter battleship schedules, escorts, carrier construction, and retirements by 1939.