Q&A ยท 25:30-26:13

How would French ammunition be resupplied?

A question about incompatible ammunition standards leads to an answer about Allied production and weapon upgrades.

Question

How could the Allies resupply French ships once their distinctive ammunition ran out?

Short answer

Standard light weapons could be adopted, existing American orders could cover some calibres, and dedicated production could sustain the less frequently fired battleship guns.

Notes

Light antiaircraft weapons could converge on Allied 20 mm and 40 mm standards, following the same wartime standardization used on British and American ships. The United States had already received French ammunition orders, giving the Allies an existing industrial starting point for some calibres. Cruiser ammunition would be more manageable than the specialized heavy rounds required by battleships. Battleship shells posed the hardest problem, but their lower rate of expenditure made dedicated production practical if the ships were worth retaining.