Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 2:59:14-3:02:33

How early US 16-inch guns could escalate British battleships

A 16-inch Pennsylvania class could push Britain toward 16.5- or 18-inch weapons earlier and raise the gun limit later written into naval treaties.

BattleshipsNaval Arms RaceNaval GunneryPennsylvania Class BattleshipsRoyal Navy
Watch at this timeFull video guide
Question

What if the Pennsylvania-class battleships had entered construction with 16-inch guns before the First World War?

Short answer

Britain would probably answer with 16.5- or 18-inch designs sooner, potentially raising later treaty limits and reshaping the interwar arms race.

Notes

The hypothetical Pennsylvania and Arizona must be compared with the construction dates of the Queen Elizabeth and Revenge classes. A half-inch American advantage over Britain's 15-inch gun would provoke a qualitative response even without a larger numerical program. Later Royal Navy G3 and N3 studies show the same desire to field weapons larger than contemporary American 16-inch guns. Earlier pressure might therefore produce more British 16.5-inch ships or even an 18-inch design before the treaty conferences. If such weapons were already in service, negotiators might adopt a higher treaty gun ceiling, making the next generation of battleships still harder for secondary powers to match.