The counterfactual asks whether Britain could have surrendered its older 13.5-inch battleships and Tiger in exchange for five new 16-inch ships. Replacing slow hulls and a battlecruiser would have strengthened the case for a 25- or 26-knot design able to raise the battle line's overall pace. This program could have produced the world's most modern battle fleet while sustaining British shipbuilding work. The gain would not occur in isolation, however, because the United States and Japan would probably seek comparable treaty allowances and complete their own modern ships.
Notable Point · 55:52-59:21
Trading older ships for five fast battleships
A treaty counterfactual trades Britain's 13.5-inch ships and Tiger for five faster Nelson-derived battleships, but risks prompting American and Japanese responses.