France has viable battlecruiser designs to consider, while Italy already has four fast Francesco Caracciolo-class hulls on the slips. Their eight 15-inch guns and projected 28-knot speed make at least two plausible candidates for completion inside a 40,000-ton battlecruiser limit. Under the proposed rule, a battlecruiser must make at least 28 knots, while a battleship can make any speed but must remain under 35,000 tons. Performance and tonnage would define the category instead of a navy's chosen label.
Notable Point · 44:06-45:26
Speed could define a separate treaty battlecruiser category
A proposed 28-knot minimum and 40,000-ton ceiling would let France consider dedicated designs and Italy classify fast Francesco Caracciolo-class ships as battlecruisers.