Q&A · 2:25:56-2:26:28

Could retained Iron Dukes be upgraded to 14-inch guns?

A 14-inch rearmament looks plausible, and a common twin turret would strengthen the case for standardizing the weapon.

Question

Could the retained Iron Duke and related 13.5-inch-gun ships have been upgraded to 14-inch guns?

Short answer

Probably. A common twin 14-inch turret could have rearmed several retained classes and made the weapon more economical to standardize.

Notes

A viewer asks whether the retained 13.5-inch ships could all receive 14-inch guns. The upgrade was probably feasible for the Iron Dukes and related ships. A common twin 14-inch turret program would spread the weapon across more hulls and make standardization more attractive. The answer remains a design counterfactual, but it identifies armament commonality as one way to keep reserve capital ships relevant.