Five R-class ships, five Queen Elizabeths, Renown, Repulse, and four Admirals would give the Royal Navy sixteen 15-inch-gun capital ships. That common calibre would simplify ammunition supply and create a large homogeneous heavy wing. Completing all four Admirals could also encourage the United States and Japan to finish their own battlecruisers. Compared with Lexington, the British ships combine speed with meaningful armour. Fleet composition and protection could therefore matter as much as a rival design's headline gun calibre.
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Four Admirals and a homogeneous 15-inch battle line
Completing all four Admiral-class ships would have added a powerful, common-calibre fast wing to the Royal Navy's battle fleet.