Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 5:57-7:04

How faster N3 and G3 designs change treaty bargaining

Fast British capital ships armed with 18-inch and 16.5-inch guns would give the United States a powerful reason to accept limits while forcing Japan to reconsider troubled competing designs.

G3 Class BattlecruisersImperial Japanese NavyN3 Class BattleshipsRoyal NavyUS NavyWashington Naval Treaty
Watch at this timeFull video guide
Question

Would the United States and Japan sign a treaty if Britain redesigned the N3 and G3 for 28 and 32 knots with all-forward guns?

Short answer

The United States would have a strong incentive to sign, while Japan would face difficult choices because several of its competing designs already had problems.

Notes

The hypothetical N3 reaches about 28 knots, while the G3 reaches about 32 knots with an all-forward main battery. The United States would welcome a treaty before Britain could field such ships in numbers. American and Japanese projects would struggle to match the combination of speed, gun power, and British construction capacity. Paper designs could therefore change the other powers' bargaining incentives before entering service.