Automatic loading could raise a 155 mm naval gun's rate of fire

Could technological improvements raise a 155 mm naval gun's rate of fire above twelve rounds per minute?

Yes. Automatic loading is expected to make a higher rate practical, with twenty rounds per minute suggested.

Twelve rounds per minute is not treated as the upper limit for a 155 mm naval gun. Automatic ammunition handling could raise the firing rate, with twenty rounds per minute suggested as achievable. The comparison points to the Des Moines class's automatic eight-inch mounts as evidence that powered handling can manage substantial shells at high rates. A lighter shell gives the proposed smaller gun further scope for rapid handling.