Successive classes brought larger turrets and new systems, so each superfiring arrangement raised a slightly different set of design problems. Rapid construction intensified the difficulty because testing lagged behind the number of ships already under way. Britain, America, Italy and Japan were competing for qualitative advantage, yet machinery, armour and design ideas circulated widely among them. That exchange kept the competition cooler and more interconnected than a picture of four isolated rivals suggests.
Notable Point · 7:14-10:51
Superfiring development in an interconnected naval race
The growth of turret arrangements and gun calibre unfolded alongside a naval competition in which Britain, the United States, Italy and Japan also exchanged ideas and technology.