Q&A · 1:33:33-1:34:16

Sixteen battlecruisers and the infrastructure to build battleships

A large battlecruiser program would support faster battleship construction because the two types require similar industrial facilities.

Question

What if battlecruisers escaped treaty capital-ship limits and Britain built sixteen of them plus six fast carriers?

Short answer

If that doubtful treaty premise held, Britain would have a stronger fleet and more infrastructure for rapid battleship construction.

Notes

Exempting battlecruisers from treaty capital-ship limits is a difficult premise to justify. If such an exemption nevertheless let Britain build sixteen battlecruisers and six fast carriers, its wartime position would be much stronger. The construction program would sustain infrastructure that could also build battleships. The benefit would include faster battleship construction as well as the existing battlecruiser fleet.