Why is HMS Hood sometimes considered a fast battleship?
Short answerSimilar armour thickness to an older battleship is insufficient: Hood's protection, hull, and design priorities support her original battlecruiser classification.
NotesArmour thickness alone does not define a battleship: depth of protection, internal subdivision, and the structure of the protected hull matter as well. Hood's belt could resemble an earlier battleship's in nominal thickness without providing equivalent coverage or resistance to damage. Her hull prioritized speed and accepted the protection that could be carried without compromising that priority. Battleships were designed around absorbing punishment in combat with other battleships, while battlecruisers served roles including scouting, commerce protection, and hunting raiders. The absence of a completed contemporary British battleship does not change Hood's original design.