The United States has a relatively direct design path once Japan and the Soviet Union choose 16-inch guns. An earlier North Carolina lineage would answer those weapons with a balanced American fast battleship. Britain had many competing studies and a wider range of choices. A new 15-inch/50 gun could save roughly 1,000 tons for armor and machinery while supporting a 30-knot design. Related gun technology could also strengthen the older Queen Elizabeth, R, Renown, and Hood lineages.
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North Carolina comes early while Britain chooses speed or gun size
American requirements point toward an earlier North Carolina class, while Britain weighs 16-inch parity against a faster, better-balanced 15-inch ship.