The Ship Characteristics Board received direct backing from the Chief of Naval Operations, giving it stronger authority over ship specifications than the General Board had possessed. Its remit was narrower because it lacked long-range planning authority and concentrated on ships. The General Board had overseen procurement more broadly. This made the newer organization more reactive when matching ships to changing naval requirements. Triton's SCB 132 project followed the Skate-class project and preceded Halibut's SCB 137. The Iowa design example illustrates the coordination problem: construction officials pursued a faster, lighter battleship while the Bureau of Ordnance continued to work with older turret designs.
Chapter · 45:17-50:23
The Ship Characteristics Board gains authority but loses planning scope
The Ship Characteristics Board had the Chief of Naval Operations behind it, yet lacked the General Board's broad procurement oversight and long-range planning authority.