The Kii-derived ship carries roughly 11 to 12 inches of belt armour, compared with about 13.5 inches on the South Dakota derivative. The thinner Japanese belt assumes fighting near maximum range, where opposing shells should struggle to penetrate it. The thicker American belt permits a closer engagement. Those figures also support the argument for treating Hood as a fast battleship when comparing its protection with the Kii proposal.
Notable Point · 1:04:41-1:05:32
Armour schemes and intended fighting range
The Kii- and South Dakota-derived armour schemes express different tactical assumptions about speed, range, and acceptable exposure.