The projected naval race would focus on improving ship designs. Governments lack the appetite and budgets for a large expansion in numbers. Completed South Dakotas, Colorados and Lexingtons would already give America a substantial fleet, comparable as a baseline to Britain's mass of 15-inch-gun ships. Congress is unlikely to fund another dozen capital ships once those programmes are complete. Successive designs could therefore improve while further expansion remains politically constrained.
Notable Point · 1:02:39-1:03:39
A race for better ships within political budgets
Completing large existing programmes does not imply that Congress will fund an unlimited increase in capital-ship numbers.