Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 1:05:00-1:05:15

What point-blank range does to battleship protection

At point-blank range, the gun power of either a King George V or an Iowa makes confidence in armour protection unsafe.

Battleship ArmourClose Range CombatIowa Class BattleshipsKing George V Class Battleships (1939)Naval Gunnery
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Question

At point-blank range, could Iowa and King George V withstand each other's main guns?

Short answer

No confident protection claim survives that range; either ship's heavy guns could produce catastrophic damage.

Notes

At point-blank range, neither an Iowa nor a King George V could rely on armour to prevent catastrophic damage from the other's main guns. At that distance, the destructive effect of heavy shells matters more than fine distinctions between protection schemes. Armour cannot serve as an absolute shield divorced from engagement range.