How would the West German Navy use a fully intact G3 that appeared in the 1960s, and should the design count as a battleship?
Short answerIt would probably serve as an intimidating Baltic presence, but the G3 remains a battlecruiser when compared with the battleships of its own generation.
NotesWest Germany would probably use the unexpected ship because a heavily armed capital ship would be an imposing presence in the Baltic. Its value would lie more in deterrent appearance than in matching a purpose-built 1960s fleet. The G3 still counts as a battlecruiser because ship types must be compared with the battleships of their own design generation, not older ships that technology has overtaken. The F3 line of development is closer to a British fast battleship.