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Of interest is the number of overage (treaty definition for ships over the minimum replacement age) ships the RN retained in the late 30s to maintain numbers. Consideration was also given to modernising Iron Duke as war approached but rejected on the basis of priorities, had the entire class been available as well as other 13.5" ships (not possible because of treaty limits) then modernisation may have occurred as a cheaper option to massive new construction.My favourite neverbuilt post WWI concept was the large cruiser described by Friedman as along the lines of the Courageous Class carrying not just aircraft but even motor torpedo boats. These were intended to serve on the China station and would have had a primary role of containing a Japanese offensive until they could be relieved by the Mediterranean Fleet. This concept continued post Washington with heavy cruisers replacing the larger cruisers but still eight ships to maintain a picket line. This seems to indicate that instead of the County Class, had there been no treaty the RN may have deployed large cruisers instead of traditional battlecruisers.Probably the greatest impact of the treaties on the RN was the damage they did to British shipbuilding, they left no option to order small but sufficient numbers of large warships to maintain their strategically vital shipbuilding industry. Even a trickle of battleships and large cruisers could have seen the UK retaining much greater shipbuilding capacity as the war approached.
Of interest is the number of overage (treaty definition for ships over the minimum replacement age) ships the RN retained in the late 30s to maintain numbers. Consideration was also given to modernising Iron Duke as war approached but rejected on the basis of priorities, had the entire class been available as well as other 13.5" ships (not possible because of treaty limits) then modernisation may have occurred as a cheaper option to massive new construction.
My favourite neverbuilt post WWI concept was the large cruiser described by Friedman as along the lines of the Courageous Class carrying not just aircraft but even motor torpedo boats. These were intended to serve on the China station and would have had a primary role of containing a Japanese offensive until they could be relieved by the Mediterranean Fleet. This concept continued post Washington with heavy cruisers replacing the larger cruisers but still eight ships to maintain a picket line. This seems to indicate that instead of the County Class, had there been no treaty the RN may have deployed large cruisers instead of traditional battlecruisers.
Probably the greatest impact of the treaties on the RN was the damage they did to British shipbuilding, they left no option to order small but sufficient numbers of large warships to maintain their strategically vital shipbuilding industry. Even a trickle of battleships and large cruisers could have seen the UK retaining much greater shipbuilding capacity as the war approached.
