Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 4:24:37-4:25:31

A fifteen-ship US battle line would rewrite the treaty-era balance

Four Colorados, five 1920 South Dakotas, and six Lexingtons would form a formidable US battle line, but its survival into the Second World War would also transform rival fleets and the treaty system.

Alternate HistoryColorado Class BattleshipsForce StructureLexington Class BattlecruisersNaval TreatiesSouth Dakota Class Battleships (1920)US Navy
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Question

How capable would a US Second World War battle line of four Colorados, five 1920 South Dakotas, and six Lexingtons be?

Short answer

Extremely capable, but its existence would also change naval treaties, rival building programs, and the modernization history leading into the war.

Notes

Four Colorados, five ships of the unbuilt 1920 South Dakota class, and six Lexington battlecruisers would create a formidable concentration of 16-inch guns. Their survival into the Second World War would also imply a different treaty settlement and different British and Japanese battle lines. The hypothetical American fleet therefore needs to be compared with the forces those other navies would retain or build. Its effectiveness would depend on how the ships had been modernized during peacetime. The numerical and gunnery strength is impressive, but the scenario cannot assume that rival fleets remain as they were historically.