Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 1:00:16-1:00:40

Could Italy copy Japan's machinery technology transfer?

Licensing foreign machinery did not automatically create an equally dependable domestic propulsion base.

Belluzzo TurbinesNaval Industrial BaseRegia MarinaShip PropulsionTechnology Transfer
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Question

Did Italy pursue machinery technology transfer along Japanese lines?

Short answer

Italy tried and eventually fitted domestic Belluzzo-type turbines, but the resulting machinery brought serious reliability problems in wartime service.

Notes

Italy attempted to absorb foreign propulsion technology rather than remain permanently dependent on imports. Domestic Belluzzo-type turbines eventually appeared in Italian battleships and are associated here with wartime machinery troubles. Acquiring a design lineage did not automatically provide the industrial experience needed to make it reliable. Technology transfer could narrow the gap, but it could not erase it by itself.