What is the earliest destroyer that could defeat HMS Dreadnought one-on-one?
Short answerA radar-equipped night fighter could do it, with some well-trained interwar British destroyers also having a plausible torpedo opportunity.
NotesThe decisive change is not raw gun power but the ability to acquire and engage the target at night. Radar-equipped destroyers have that asymmetry, while well-trained interwar Royal Navy A- and B-class boats might also exploit established night-fighting doctrine.