The arrival of HMS Dreadnought had made these battleships technically outdated, yet only a few countries possessed or were building the new type. The American South Carolina class had not reached sea service. Against most states, a concentrated force of older battleships remained a serious military instrument. Technological transitions work this way: a new standard can make older ships inferior before it erases their strategic value.
Notable Point · 7:34-8:21
Pre-dreadnought strength during the dreadnought transition
Dreadnought had changed the technical standard, but the scarcity of the new type meant sixteen American pre-dreadnoughts still represented formidable power against most navies.