Britain converts the new gun caliber into a squadron program. Orion and the battlecruiser Lion are ordered in November 1909. The remaining three Orion-class ships follow in April 1910 after five months of experience with the hull. All four battleships enter service by the end of 1912 despite a delay to Conqueror. This concentrated 1909 program explains why Britain could skip ordering a wholly new class in 1910. Industrial capacity turns the larger-gun design into an operational force quickly.
Notable Point · 14:30-15:43
British production raises the 1909 dreadnought standard
Britain turns its 13.5-inch design lead into a four-ship Orion program through staged orders and rapid follow-on construction.