If Alaska-class capability started the dreadnought race

What if the US Navy began the dreadnought race with Alaska-class capability instead of the South Carolina class?

Britain could pursue theoretical 16.5-inch guns and more powerful machinery, with the result depending partly on whether the American ships also receive radar.

An Alaska-like starting point would bring speed, rate of fire, and shell design far beyond the historical South Carolina class. The participants first disagree about whether the premise includes radar, since that would greatly change the comparison. Better armour metallurgy is distinguished from certainty about the protection of the complete ship. The proposed British response involves pursuing an Elswick 16.5-inch gun that is explicitly described as theoretical at that date. Machinery firms would be pressed for more power, and American boilers are considered as a possible source of technology. A speculative ship of about 28 knots with eight or more 16-inch or 16.5-inch guns follows from those assumptions. This technological leap is expected to disrupt other navies' programmes, with the proposed British response remaining speculative.