Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 31:09-32:15

Eight-inch coastal batteries for the Falklands

Multiple batteries based on County-class eight-inch turrets could make a prewar naval attack on the Falklands prohibitively expensive.

8-inch GunsCoastal ArtilleryCoastal DefenceCounty Class CruisersFalkland Islands
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Question

What guns would make a strong pre-Second World War coastal defense for the Falkland Islands?

Short answer

County-class eight-inch turrets, arranged in several three-turret batteries, would impose a formidable barrier to attack.

Notes

The answer favors replicating a known County-class cruiser turret rather than developing a bespoke coastal weapon. Three triple eight-inch turrets would give each battery the main-gun count of a cruiser. Five such batteries would place forty-five heavy guns around the islands. An attacker would then need a carrier and a substantial covering force, changing the Falklands from an easy target into a demanding naval operation.