How should Spain rebuild its navy from 1923 to reach half the strength of Italy?
Short answerRepair the industrial base and existing fleet first, then use carefully chosen foreign purchases and partnerships to build submarines, aviation, cruisers, and eventually capital ships without overwhelming logistics.
NotesThe first priority in this counterfactual is infrastructure and readiness of Spain's existing cruisers and battleships. Italian submarines suit Mediterranean operations and could pass submerged through Gibraltar, while a British carrier would better fit the proposed training needs. American cruisers and selected French destroyers could buy diplomatic relationships, at the cost of a difficult mixture of suppliers. British support would also help sustain domestic battleship construction because British-linked yards were already established in Spain. The proposed capital ships would initially carry six 15-inch guns. Orders placed around 1930 would have to survive Primo de Rivera's fall and could, with hindsight, stimulate British 15-inch development enough to alter the later King George V design.