Q&A · 14:20-16:39

Twin naval guns, recoil and wartime firepower

The case for modern twin guns weighs recoil and maintenance access against the volume of fire a ship needs in war.

Question

Would twin main guns around 4.7 to 5 inches be useful on modern warships?

Short answer

The preference is for twins to provide greater wartime firepower, while acknowledging recoil interaction and restricted maintenance access.

Notes

The case for twin mounts around 4.7 to 5 inches is greater wartime volume of fire. One objection is that a single gun avoids the second barrel's recoil and can therefore be more accurate. The rebuttal questions whether modern construction and computer-directed firing should still be unable to manage that interaction. Maintenance access is a stronger practical objection: two guns in one turret restrict access and can require mirrored mechanisms. The argument gives wartime firepower greater weight than easier peacetime maintenance. A single gun can appear capable during routine service while still leaving an individual ship short of firepower in a conflict with a comparable opponent.