alternatehistory.com

No I don't mean Shadow vessels from Babylon 5.


In the London- naval treaty ships below 600 tons are exempt from any classifications, in OTL Japan used this clause to build a crap-load of fairly crappy torpedo-boats.


However there is also another clause that says that ships between 601-2000 tons are exempt if they don't carry a gun larger then 6,1”/155mm, no more then four guns above 3”/76mm, aren't fitted or designed with torpedoes and aren't designed for above 20 knots.


So let's assume that the Japanese didn't care about that “designed” part, they cheated quite blatantly everywhere else so why not here.


So what if the Japanese design a 1500-2000 ton “gunboat” with three 155mm guns in single turrets and a speed of 20 knots. These “gunboats” are designed to be upgraded to fleet destroyers rather quickly, changing the single 155mm guns to dual 127mm guns, adding torpedoes and another boiler to up the speed to 33-35 knots.


How feasible and expensive would it be?
Top