Five unrestricted years could permit follow-on classes after the G3, N3, South Dakota and Lexington programmes. The new American ships would create a strong battle line while older 14-inch battleships became candidates for retirement. British and Japanese 18-inch ships would affect later negotiations. They could also make an American preference for 16-inch guns harder to defend before Congress. The concern is that political comparison may favour a visibly larger weapon despite the Navy’s technical arguments.
Notable Point · 36:55-38:39
Successor construction and pressure for 18-inch guns
Five more years could bring successor designs as well as the cancelled ships, while rival 18-inch weapons create political pressure in America.