Q&A ยท 3:04:46-3:05:21

Could Titanic's iceberg sink a Second World War battleship?

A battleship's more extensive subdivision makes an iceberg collision less likely to sink her, though speed and impact location still matter.

Question

Could the iceberg that sank Titanic also sink a Second World War battleship?

Short answer

It could cause major damage, but a battleship's vertical and horizontal subdivision would make sinking much less likely.

Notes

The outcome depends on where and how fast the battleship strikes the ice. Unlike Titanic, a battleship has extensive subdivision in more than one plane. Vertical and horizontal bulkheads make progressive flooding harder to spread through the hull. A collision could still inflict extremely expensive damage, but sinking becomes much less likely unless the ship is handled recklessly and the impact defeats several protective boundaries.