The planned 1948 fleet included the Scharnhorst class, Bismarck class, H-class battleships, O-class battlecruisers, Graf Zeppelin carriers, P-class armored ships, and several cruiser and destroyer programs. Scharnhorst and Gneisenau were battleships built with the available 11-inch guns and intended for later rearmament, rather than battlecruisers. The P-class and scout-cruiser projects were repeatedly delayed, and the P-class briefly gave way to the O-class before returning to the program. The inventory also exposes an imbalance: Germany pursued ambitious capital ships while destroyers, torpedo boats, and other supporting vessels received less attention.
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What Plan Z proposed to build by 1948
A ship-by-ship outline of Plan Z shows a fleet centered on ten battleships, four carriers, P-class commerce raiders, cruisers, destroyers, and torpedo boats.
Admiral Hipper Class CruisersAircraft CarriersBattleshipsBismarck Class BattleshipsCruisersDestroyersDeutschland Class CruisersForce StructureGerman NavyGraf Zeppelin Class Aircraft CarriersH Class BattleshipsKriegsmarineM Class CruisersO Class BattlecruisersP Class CruisersPlan ZScharnhorst Class BattleshipsTorpedo Boats