Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 1:14:00-1:14:35

Did First World War battleships have point defence?

The answer warns against judging an earlier warship's defensive system by the aircraft threat that became dominant later.

BattleshipsDestroyersFrancesco Caracciolo Class BattleshipsIron Duke Class BattleshipsPoint DefenceStandard Type BattleshipsTegetthoff Class BattleshipsTorpedo BoatsWorld War I
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Question

Were First World War battleships effectively without point defence?

Short answer

No; their close defence was designed mainly against torpedo boats and destroyers, and leading battleship classes carried useful batteries for that contemporary threat.

Notes

First World War capital ships did have close defence. Their point-defence problem centered on torpedo boats and destroyers trying to approach within attack range, since aircraft were not yet the primary threat. The Tegetthoff, Francesco Caracciolo, and Iron Duke classes, along with American Standard-type battleships, had original configurations suited to that danger. The relevant question is whether a ship could counter the small attackers of its own period. This historical comparison makes the Star Destroyers look worse because their setting already treats fighters as a demonstrated threat.