Q&A · 1:15:41-1:16:21

Designing a 22,000-ton treaty armoured cruiser

A 22,000-ton treaty combatant falls naturally into an armoured-cruiser role and could carry guns approaching battleship caliber.

Question

What would a 22,000-ton treaty warship be called, and how should it be armed?

Short answer

It would most plausibly be an armoured cruiser with guns in the ten- to twelve-inch range.

Notes

The hypothetical ship falls into an armoured-cruiser role at 22,000 tons. Its guns could range from roughly ten inches up to twelve inches, with the German preference for eleven-inch weapons supplying a middle course. That armament approaches capital-ship firepower on a cruiser label. A new tonnage category would quickly blur the boundary between the two roles.