Q&A ยท 38:34-39:01

Why the Royal Navy kept battleship torpedo tubes

The persistence of torpedo tubes on large Royal Navy ships is explained as institutional attachment rather than proof that the weapons remained efficient.

Question

Why did the Royal Navy keep fitting torpedo tubes to battleships after Jutland?

Short answer

The tubes persisted largely because institutional enthusiasm for battle torpedoes changed more slowly than their tactical usefulness.

Notes

The tubes were no longer an especially useful battleship weapon, but the Royal Navy retained a long-standing enthusiasm for battle torpedoes. Some institutional practices can change quickly, while others survive because specialist departments and established doctrine remain attached to them. The tactical case for a design feature can weaken long before the institution abandons it. Battleship torpedo tubes are a compact example of that lag.