Q&A ยท 15:04-18:12

Capital ships without the Washington Naval Treaty

A non-treaty forecast compares likely British, Italian, French, American, and Japanese capital-ship programs by 1930.

Question

What might the major navies have built by 1930 without the Washington Naval Treaty?

Short answer

Britain likely builds G3s, N3s, and successors, while the other major navies continue or revive their own late-war capital-ship programs.

Notes

Britain would probably build the G3s, N3s, and follow-on batches, potentially adding twelve to sixteen new capital ships by 1930. Italy might finish the Francesco Caracciolos, France might complete the Normandies or Lyons, the United States would continue its program, and Japan might begin the Kii designs. Claims that American negotiators uniformly believed Britain could not afford renewed construction should be treated cautiously.