In a delayed-war counterfactual, the Soviet Union would probably complete only the Project 23 ships already under construction before moving to a successor. That limited batch would reveal mistakes for designers to correct in the next class. The successor would bring new errors of its own, which is part of learning through construction. Early hulls therefore build industrial knowledge as well as fleet strength.
Notable Point · 56:23-56:49
Why a first battleship batch is also an industrial learning loop
Completing a limited first batch would let Soviet designers identify faults and carry practical lessons into a successor class.