Italy's second fleet strengthens the Adriatic blockade

Italy's maritime geography gave its navy a stronger claim on national funding than the Austro-Hungarian fleet could make against competing land requirements. Its industrial base and reserve depth supported a second fleet of older battleships and cruisers alongside the modern main force. That formation included Regina Margherita- and Regina Elena-class battleships, Pisa- and San Giorgio-class armoured cruisers, and supporting torpedo boats. The second fleet was inferior to the Austrian main force, but its ships were expected to fight hard and inflict damage. An Austrian breakout would therefore have to defeat one Italian formation and then face the other at reduced strength. That layered opposition helped sustain the Adriatic containment strategy even though the oldest Italian ships were unlikely to win a fleet action by themselves.