Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 3:35:35-3:43:53

How Des Moines-class cruisers would transform the wartime Royal Navy

Replacing British heavy cruisers with Des Moines-class ships adds automatic eight-inch guns and advanced radar, overwhelming Graf Spee and Japanese cruisers at range.

8-inch GunsBattle Of The Java SeaBattle Of The River PlateCounty Class CruisersDes Moines Class Heavy CruisersHMS ExeterRoyal Navy
Watch at this timeFull video guide
Question

What happens if the Royal Navy's County and Hawkins classes are replaced by Des Moines-class cruisers?

Short answer

Britain gains overwhelming cruiser firepower and radar, with ammunition supply for the 5-inch battery as the principal difficulty.

Notes

Replacing the County, Hawkins, York, and Exeter groups with Des Moines-class cruisers would give the Royal Navy about a dozen exceptionally powerful modern hulls. The main logistical problem would be supplying American 5-inch/38 ammunition, while British industry could adapt more readily to the other weapons. Automatic 8-inch Mark 16 guns, long-range fire control, and radar would overwhelm Graf Spee at River Plate. The same combination could turn Java Sea into a long-range engagement in which Japanese cruisers were hit before they could answer effectively.