What if King George V-class battleships had upgradeable main armament and uniform turret rings?
Short answerThey could likely appear in batches with 14-inch, 15-inch, and eventually 16-inch guns without an initial construction delay.
NotesDesigning the flexibility in from the start need not delay construction. Successive batches could receive heavier guns as treaty limits collapsed and suitable weapons became available. Common triple-turret geometry could let early ships accept 14-inch weapons and later hulls move to 15-inch or 16-inch guns. The key is that the adaptable turret ring must be a founding requirement rather than a disruptive wartime redesign.