British automatic-gun work included 4.5-inch, 6-inch, and 3-inch weapons, while the asserted 5-inch program is treated with doubt. Tiger's automatic guns formed part of that search for new capabilities. The 6-inch installation became difficult partly because it was expected to serve against aircraft as well as surface ships, adding complexity to the mounting. Had more Sverdlovs appeared sooner, a possible British response would have carried eight 6-inch guns in four twin turrets and eight 3-inch guns in four twins. A central helicopter position is also suggested. This arrangement is a counterfactual response to a larger Soviet program, not a completed British design.
Notable Point · 56:19-58:54
How more Sverdlovs could have reshaped British gun cruisers
Dual-purpose complexity hindered the automatic 6-inch gun, while a larger Soviet cruiser program could have encouraged a more heavily armed British response.