Q&A · 3:13:07-3:13:43

King George V without treaty restrictions

A no-treaty design sketch turns King George V into a larger twelve-gun fast battleship.

Question

How would the King George V class change if Britain ignored naval treaty limits?

Short answer

He expects a much heavier ship with 15- or 16-inch guns, probably twelve weapons in four triple turrets, plus the speed, armor, and range the treaty design had to trade away.

Notes

Removing displacement and calibre limits allows the design to recover capabilities that had competed within a tight treaty envelope. Roughly 15,000 additional tons would support 15- or 16-inch guns and a fourth triple turret. The larger hull could also improve speed, protection, range, and endurance. The result would be a much more powerful ship than treaty arithmetic allowed, rather than a minor variation on the historical class.