Buying a large dreadnought programme would involve more than a political decision. Turbine, armour, gun, and turret production set hard limits on how quickly a fleet could be built. A sudden British lead might deter German competition, but even Britain could not instantly expand every part of its maritime industrial base. The same constraints would slow an American response, preserving Britain's generational lead while rival yards and armament works expanded.
Notable Point · 2:17-5:10
Dreadnought numbers depend on industrial capacity
A thought experiment about an immediate British dreadnought surge becomes a lesson in turbines, turret output, and deterrence.