Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 27:33-28:42

How modern propulsion would transform HMS Dreadnought

Comparing Dreadnought's 23,000 shaft horsepower with a Type 45 plant illustrates the enormous propulsion gains made over a century.

Gas TurbinesHMS DreadnoughtNaval PropulsionWarship Design
Watch at this timeFull video guide
Question

What would HMS Dreadnought be like with a modern power plant?

Short answer

She would be dramatically faster, perhaps around 28 knots after allowing for the limitations of her hull form.

Notes

HMS Dreadnought achieved her historical performance with eighteen boilers and about 23,000 shaft horsepower. A Type 45-scale plant would more than double that power, though her early-twentieth-century hull form would limit how efficiently she could use it. An initial estimate above 30 knots falls to roughly 28 knots once the hull form is considered. The exchange demonstrates why power-to-weight comparisons need hydrodynamic context.