Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 1:38:58-1:39:48

Faster Queen Elizabeth refits require protection tradeoffs

A common modernization could push Queen Elizabeth-class ships toward 26 or 27 knots, but only by spending weight historically used for subdivision, armor, and dual-purpose guns.

Battleship ModernisationNaval PropulsionNaval ProtectionQueen Elizabeth Class BattleshipsRenown Class Battlecruisers
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Question

Could Queen Elizabeth and Renown receive a common modernization that made the battleships capable of 26 or 27 knots?

Short answer

Yes, but the extra speed would consume weight otherwise available for armor, subdivision, and dual-purpose armament.

Notes

Warspite's reconstruction demonstrates that modern boilers could save substantial machinery weight. Historically, designers used that margin to retain speed while improving protection, subdivision, and anti-aircraft armament. More boilers could instead buy additional speed and simplify machinery commonality with Renown. Treaty-era modernization was an allocation problem rather than a cost-free choice between old and new machinery.