The Royal Navy still needs a new cruiser fleet

The revised treaty leaves cruiser numbers unrestricted, but that freedom matters differently to each navy. Britain would probably remain the largest cruiser builder because its World War I fleet must be brought up to modern standards. Those ships are required for imperial presence, commerce protection, scouting, and the many distant duties that capital ships cannot perform economically. American resources are more likely to concentrate on finishing the Lexington program and supporting its fast force. Continuous cruiser replacement therefore runs alongside the capital-ship program rather than disappearing beneath it.