Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 31:53-33:02

Why older battleships struggled in the Indian Ocean

The limits of old battleships' endurance are tied to the cost and timing of deep reconstruction.

BattleshipsIndian OceanKing George V Class Battleships (1939)Naval ModernisationRoyal Navy
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Question

Did limited fresh-water capacity hinder the older battleships in the Indian Ocean?

Short answer

Yes, but the wider issue was that full modernisation was too costly and slow, so replacement was preferred.

Notes

Limited fresh-water capacity did hinder the older battleships in distant waters, but it was one part of a larger modernisation problem. Major upgrades could improve speed, endurance, and usefulness, yet the required work was expensive and slow. Replacement therefore looked more attractive than rebuilding every ship. The intended transition ran through the King George V class and later designs, with Vanguard eventually filling another part of the requirement.