Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 2:55:24-2:56:56

Planned modernizations for Barham and Malaya

Barham and Malaya belonged to a staged modernization effort that kept proven heavy ships available during fleet renewal.

HMS BarhamHMS MalayaKing George V Class Battleships (1939)Lion Class BattleshipsLive Q&AQueen Elizabeth Class BattleshipsShip Refits
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Question

Were HMS Barham and HMS Malaya intended to receive modernizations like the other Queen Elizabeth-class battleships?

Short answer

Both ships were in the modernization sequence and likely would have received Valiant-style work as the Royal Navy balanced older 15-inch ships against the King George V and Lion programs.

Notes

Barham and Malaya were not intended to remain permanently outside the Queen Elizabeth-class modernization program. The Royal Navy was moving through the class in stages while deciding how to sustain the battle fleet. New King George V-class ships brought 14-inch guns whose wartime performance had not yet been demonstrated, and the Lion class had not arrived. Keeping proven 15-inch-gun hulls effective therefore provided insurance during the transition. Barham and Malaya would probably have received reconstructions closer to Valiant's than to the exact programs used for Warspite or Queen Elizabeth.