Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 2:10:34-2:13:49

A 45,000-ton Washington treaty reshapes battleships

A 45,000-ton treaty ceiling raises the strength of the fleets Japan must face and could make an enlarged Yamato concept exceed Japanese infrastructure.

Alternate HistoryBattleship DesignNelson Class BattleshipsSouth Dakota Class Battleships (1920)Washington Naval TreatyYamato Class Battleships
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Question

How would battleship design change if the Washington treaty allowed 45,000 tons and the 1920 South Dakotas were completed?

Short answer

Stronger treaty battleships would change Japan's required margin of superiority, potentially making Yamato as built an unsuitable answer.

Notes

The scenario completes the 1920 South Dakotas and establishes 45,000 tons as the treaty ceiling for individual capital ships. Retaining fifteen ships at that ceiling would raise the British and American allowances from 525,000 to 675,000 tons. Britain could use the extra displacement for faster Nelson-family ships with four shafts and greater freedom in hull and turret layout. Their 16-inch armament would probably remain, although the arrangement of the turrets is uncertain. Japan would then need an even larger ship to achieve the proposed ability to fight two opposing battleships. At some point that response would meet Japanese infrastructure limits. The altered treaty balance could therefore change the Japanese design choice.