Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 3:14:07-3:15:46

Renown could give Allied Pacific carriers a fast surface guard

Pairing HMS Renown with Victorious and Saratoga would add radar-directed 15-inch protection against Japanese cruisers or Kongō-class battlecruisers.

Aircraft CarriersBattlecruisersHMS RenownHMS VictoriousPacific WarUSS Saratoga (CV-3)
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Question

Were Royal Navy battleships or battlecruisers available for Pacific service in 1942-43?

Short answer

Renown was considered for deployment with Victorious and could have joined Saratoga as a fast, heavily armed carrier escort.

Notes

The Royal Navy considered sending Renown east with HMS Victorious. Renown had the speed to operate with Victorious and USS Saratoga without slowing the carriers' movements. Her six 15-inch guns and modern radar would give the group a powerful answer if Japanese cruisers or a Kongō-class ship broke through the air screen. The battlecruiser would not replace carrier aircraft, but it would make a surface interception much less dangerous to the carriers. Fast capital ships could still add real protection inside an aviation-centered task group.