Automation reduced the physical and mental burden on gun crews. Turrets needed relief teams because loading and other strenuous work could not be sustained indefinitely. Sighting and calculation imposed a different burden: long-range fighting demanded prolonged concentration on precise numbers and visual information. A distracted operator could enter the wrong settings, so mechanization reduced errors caused by fatigue and distraction.
Chapter · 0:01-3:56
Why navies sought automated gun loading
The opening explains how fatigue, long engagements, and precision work made human gun crews a limit on sustained naval fire.