Would Britain develop Centurion without wartime experience?

Would Britain have Centurion tanks if the war began later?

Possibly, but the Army might keep developing its existing tanks without wartime experience, so the timetable could differ.

A later war would not guarantee that Britain produced the same tanks on the historical timetable. Without combat experience, the Army might continue developing versions of its existing designs. Something like Centurion could emerge eventually, but the time required remains uncertain. The eventual borrowing of naval guns is raised as one possible part of that development.