The Battle class needed a strongly built forward hull to carry its heavy between-deck 4.5-inch mounts. Those mountings belonged to a type of weapon installation also used in capital ships and carriers. Once suitable upper-deck mounts became available, their lower weight and reduced intrusion into the hull changed the calculation. Main guns could be distributed along the ship while retaining torpedoes and a substantial 40 mm battery. The Royal Navy's preference for an aft gun could then be accommodated more easily.
Notable Point · 2:06:04-2:08:44
Lighter mounts make an aft destroyer gun practical again
Upper-deck 4.5-inch mounts reduced the weight and space penalty of restoring main-battery fire aft.