Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 3:26:56-3:27:15

The cost case for regunning Vanguard

Common 16-inch ammunition with the Iowa class would be useful, but Vanguard could retain her existing 15-inch battery if modernization funds were scarce.

15-inch Guns16-inch GunsBattleship ModernisationHMS VanguardNaval GunneryRoyal Navy
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Question

Would a retained HMS Vanguard be rearmed with 16-inch guns so she could share ammunition with American battleships?

Short answer

Only if funding permitted; otherwise the Royal Navy could keep her 15-inch guns and preserve existing ammunition stocks.

Notes

Regunning would be a budget decision rather than an automatic requirement for interoperability. With sufficient funding, the Royal Navy could consider replacing Vanguard's 15-inch weapons with 16-inch guns compatible with American battleship ammunition. Without that money, Britain already possessed a substantial stock of 15-inch shells that could be retained for the ship. The operational benefit of common ammunition has to outweigh the cost and complexity of replacing an entire main battery.