The long Plan Z timetable gave the Soviet Union the same opportunity to complete ships such as the Sovetsky Soyuz class. Those vessels would demand a stronger German covering force than the old Gangut-class battleships alone. At the same time, Emden and Germany's other aging light cruisers would offer little credible combat value by 1948, however extensively they were updated. The comparison shows that future fleet arithmetic must age existing hulls and let every potential opponent build, rather than crediting only Germany with ten years of development.
Notable Point · 32:36-33:36
The Soviet fleet would also use the years before 1948
A 1948 scenario must account for Soviet capital-ship construction and the declining combat value of Germany's oldest light cruisers.