The completed ships give the US Navy a powerful early 16-inch-gun force and a fast scouting arm designed to find targets for the battle line. Congress has already funded these hulls, so completion avoids the new appropriations battle that an original design would require. One unfinished Lexington hull, USS United States, becomes the plausible carrier conversion under the alternate treaty. The trade-off is that America retains a powerful but slow standard battle fleet, creating political pressure for faster replacements in the next treaty era.
Chapter · 2:18:22-2:36:38
America completes its Colorado and Lexington investments
Because Congress has already funded them, the United States is likely to complete a fourth Colorado and five Lexington battlecruisers rather than start fresh programmes.