Six destroyers for two new battleships meant only three escorts per battleship. Even operating the battleships together would leave just three destroyers on either side in the arrangement considered here. The proposed alternative is at least eight destroyers, with ten preferred. At the quoted $925,000 per ship, ten would cost $9.25 million before armor and armament. The figures express an illustrative alternative to the authorized escort provision.
Notable Point · 27:56-29:23
Six destroyers left only three escorts per new battleship
The escort calculation compares the six ships ordered with a proposed eight- or ten-destroyer force and its cost.