The case for arming the Nelson class with improved 15-inch guns

Should the Nelson class have used improved 15-inch guns instead of the new 16-inch weapon?

Probably yes in an F3-style design, because an improved 15-inch system offered fleet-wide upgrade and logistics advantages without the risks of the chosen 16-inch gun.

The panel favors the 15-inch alternative if Nelson and Rodney are redesigned as faster F3-style battleships. A new 15-inch weapon could support modernization of other British capital ships and simplify fleet ammunition logistics. The historical 16-inch choice reflected prestige, treaty limits, and confidence in lightweight-shell experiments as much as operational necessity. The exchange cautions against letting national honor turn a novel gun system into a design requirement.