Modernised KGV

The most important thing would be the Type 984 'dustbin' radar and ADAS like the carriers Victorious, Hermes and Eagle. Weapons upgrades would be the replacement of all the light AA weapons with Sea Cat SAMs and seaplanes with Wessex helicopters.
 
Not that there was really anything requiring 14 inch shells for NGS in the Falklands, but it'd sure scare the hell out of some conscripts.
 
If it was in good enough condition to make the trip, and the fleet train had the ability to keep it fuelled and supplied (as well as the rest of the task force) I don't see why not.
Re weapons. I believe Riain and another lurker answered that quite well.
 
WW2 kgv and would we see it in the Falklands war?

The Falklands war would be ultra short, a KGV covered by a couple of carriers could land directly over the beaches close to Stanley and take the key objectives in the initial assault waves. None of this Port San Carlos and long march bullshit.
 
It might have been seen as having some use against the Belgrano ?

Christ, that would literally be getting in a fist fight with the baby so you can steal it's candy. A modernized 8in heavy cruiser could do that job just fine, a KGV is just hilarious levels of overkill. Hell, a WW2 era Heavy Cruiser could do it.
 
Christ, that would literally be getting in a fist fight with the baby so you can steal it's candy. A modernized 8in heavy cruiser could do that job just fine, a KGV is just hilarious levels of overkill. Hell, a WW2 era Heavy Cruiser could do it.

HMS Belfast?
 
Christ, that would literally be getting in a fist fight with the baby so you can steal it's candy. A modernized 8in heavy cruiser could do that job just fine, a KGV is just hilarious levels of overkill. Hell, a WW2 era Heavy Cruiser could do it.
True but if you follow the example of the USN where the Iowas were kept in service long after their last CA's and CL's were scrapped or in mothballs I could see the RN preferring to use a retained and functional KGV against the Belgrano vs say a county class destroyer.
 
If it was in good enough condition to make the trip, and the fleet train had the ability to keep it fuelled and supplied (as well as the rest of the task force) I don't see why not.

Manning might be a problem however...

Not that there was really anything requiring 14 inch shells for NGS in the Falklands, but it'd sure scare the hell out of some conscripts.

The RN found out that pre-invasion bombardment with just 4.5-inch guns didn't do the job. Now admittedly 14-inch might be overkill but in this case that's a good thing. Even the two 6-inch automatic guns on TIGER would have helped...
 
Christ, that would literally be getting in a fist fight with the baby so you can steal it's candy. A modernized 8in heavy cruiser could do that job just fine, a KGV is just hilarious levels of overkill. Hell, a WW2 era Heavy Cruiser could do it.

That's how the RN loves to fight, no point risking damage in a fair fight with you can blast them into oblivion.

During the Suez crisis an Egyptian frigate with twin 4" guns came up against HMS Newfoundland cruiser with 6" guns and Daring class destroyer with 4.5" guns, and got pasted.
 
As for armament, I'd start with stripping off all the light anti-aircraft weapons and two of the 5.25 in turrets. Actually, maybe provide provisions for a few of the 20mm for use against low intensity threats like speedboats or what not. If I had unlimited budget, I'd spend it on developing a time machine and go back to the 1930's and convince the Admiralty to build her with 9x3 15 inch guns. Since this isn't ASB... I'd put on a pair of 4 or 6 pack Exocets or Harpoon launchers, 4x Phalanx, a pair of Sea Wolf 8 cell launchers, and then some Tomahawks. Upgrade all the electronics to 1980 standards, and if you've still got that unlimited time and budget, do a refit on her engines and see if you can get her up to 30 knots. Add in a helipad somewhere, along with a hangar for a few ASW birds if you can swing it. Maybe where her catapult used to be? At any rate, if a Kirov somehow ends up inside the range of the 14 inchers, she'll be dead meat.

HMS Belfast?

That might actually be an interesting matchup. The last 'big' gun duel.
 
Manning might be a problem however...



The RN found out that pre-invasion bombardment with just 4.5-inch guns didn't do the job. Now admittedly 14-inch might be overkill but in this case that's a good thing. Even the two 6-inch automatic guns on TIGER would have helped...


All good points.. That being said I suspect if a retained, functional and modernized KGV was the only "big gun armoured war ship" still in RN service during the Falkkands war there would have been some pressure to deploy it if possible. I can't imagine the RN wanting to leave it behind if an opposed landing or combat against a world war 2 CL is in the cards.
 
All good points.. That being said I suspect if a retained, functional and modernized KGV was the only "big gun armoured war ship" still in RN service during the Falkkands war there would have been some pressure to deploy it if possible. I can't imagine the RN wanting to leave it behind if an opposed landing or combat against a world war 2 CL is in the cards.

Grab some patriotic lads from a couple merchant ships, and strip the crew from a few of the type 21 deathtraps. Call up some men who served on Vanguard if need be. Get creative about it. The crew requirement is probably significantly lower due to better automation and the lack of the light AA armament suite. IIRC Iowa had a crew somewhere like 2700 circa WW2 and 1800 after her refit. Call it somewhere in the realm of an even 1000 from 1422 originally. Hell, if you want to be poetic about it, draft all those bureaucrats who keep slashing the services budget with their review papers!
 
Grab some patriotic lads from a couple merchant ships, and strip the crew from a few of the type 21 deathtraps. Call up some men who served on Vanguard if need be. Get creative about it. The crew requirement is probably significantly lower due to better automation and the lack of the light AA armament suite. IIRC Iowa had a crew somewhere like 2700 circa WW2 and 1800 after her refit. Call it somewhere in the realm of an even 1000 from 1422 originally.
I suspect if the RN had retained and modernized a KGV and kept it in service thru to the present day that a crew would have been avalaible for it as well ?
 
Possible task force?

HMS Audacious flag ship
HMS KGV
HMS illustrious
HMS Hermes
HMS Cardiff
4 type 82 class destroyers

HMS Bristol
HMS Plymouth
HMS Liverpool
HMS Truro
 
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