Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 59:44-1:00:10

Why the Dutch adopted Bofors effectively

A smaller fleet encouraged the Dutch to focus on the individual hitting power of each weapon system.

Bofors GunsDutch NavyNaval Anti Aircraft GunsWarship Design
Watch at this timeFull video guide
Question

How did the Dutch get Bofors armament so right?

Short answer

Their smaller fleet made them especially conscious of the hitting power of each weapon, alongside some good fortune and different trade-offs from larger navies.

Notes

Dutch success with Bofors is attributed partly to luck and partly to a smaller navy's focus on extracting the greatest effect from each mount. A limited number of ships encouraged attention to the hitting power of every installed weapon. Larger navies could rely on numerous 20 mm guns or pom-poms, each with different strengths and compromises. Fleet scale can shape apparently technical armament choices.