Q&A · 1:17:57-1:19:00

Standardizing the Royal Navy on the 4.7-inch gun

A weapons-standardization answer weighs industrial efficiency against ballistic performance.

Question

What changes if the Royal Navy standardizes on a high-angle 4.7-inch gun instead of developing 4.5- and 5.25-inch weapons?

Short answer

Cruisers, destroyers, and perhaps carriers would share one gun, simplifying factories and logistics and increasing output and volume of fire at the cost of range.

Notes

Using one dual-purpose caliber across Dido-class cruisers, Tribal-class destroyers, later escorts, and carriers would concentrate manufacturing and ammunition supply. The tradeoff is a shorter-ranged weapon, but far more mounts and rounds could be produced from the same industrial base.