As an early-1920s battlecruiser, Lexington compares poorly with the G3, Amagi and Kii designs, but a major mid-1930s refit could have given it a useful carrier-escort role. Its speed would keep pace with carriers, and the huge hull offered extensive deck space for anti-aircraft weapons. A 7-inch belt would remain vulnerable to capital-ship guns while providing protection against heavy cruisers. Kongo-class ships would be the main surface concern, although carrier aircraft could damage them before an engagement and Lexington's 16-inch guns would threaten them in return. In a hypothetical Doolittle Raid with Lexington battlecruisers escorting the carriers, their surface firepower would allow the force to approach closer before launching. The proposed role depends on modernisation and cooperation with carriers, with substantial protection weaknesses still present.
Notable Point · 1:32:34-1:35:21
A modernized Lexington could have become a carrier escort
The features that made Lexington a vulnerable 1920s battlecruiser could have made a rebuilt ship a fast, heavily armed escort for Pacific carriers.