In a war delayed until 1945, Japan could have three or four 18-inch-gun battleships, with Shinano remaining a battleship. Their armament would be difficult to conceal indefinitely and would prompt British and American responses. Older British ships would face different prospects: the Revenge class and unmodernized Queen Elizabeths would probably leave service, while other ships depended on replacement construction and modernization. Hood was a likely modernization candidate, and building Vanguards could reduce the case for retaining or rebuilding Repulse. Discovery of the Japanese ships would strengthen the argument for keeping Nelson and Rodney because of their armor, despite their limited speed. These are conditional fleet choices, not a historical modernization program.
Notable Point · 2:57:06-3:01:18
Yamato and British battleship retention in a delayed war
Discovery of Japan's 18-inch-gun battleships could change which British capital ships were retained or modernized before a later war.