The boiler decision also reaches the planned Lion-class battleships. Their nine 16-inch guns already promised a more powerful armament, while machinery savings could support greater speed, range, or protection. A better-balanced design might strengthen the case for carrying construction forward rather than leaving the ships incomplete. Propulsion technology could therefore affect the ships' characteristics and whether the capital-ship program survived competing wartime priorities.
Notable Point · 30:58-31:35
Machinery savings strengthen the Lion-class case
The same weight and performance gains could improve the nine-gun 16-inch Lion design and make completing the class more attractive.