Q&A · 57:32-58:36

What a doubled interwar Royal Navy budget could buy

Treaty limits would steer extra money away from additional capital ships and toward readiness, escorts, bases, aircraft, and stores.

Question

What would the Royal Navy have done with twice its historical interwar budget?

Short answer

It would likely modernize ships sooner, train more, stockpile aircraft and stores, fortify bases, and build many treaty-exempt sloops and auxiliaries.

Notes

A doubled budget would allow more frequent modernizations and earlier refits. The fleet could also spend more on training, aircraft, stockpiles, and base defenses. Treaty limits would still constrain the categories of ship Britain could build. Sloops and auxiliaries provide room for a larger program within those rules. Completing Singapore's defenses is suggested as another possible result of sustained extra funding.