The British battleship designed to survive the end of treaties

Wars & Conflicts · Published 16 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In the 1930s, naval treaties dictated the limits of war. The King George V-class was born from this diplomatic friction—designed to be the most modern British battleships of WWII while navigating strict international caps on displacement and armament. It was a masterpiece of protection over raw power.

Work on the King George V-class layout commenced during 1928, an era shaped by the 1922 Washington Naval Treaty. Because these treaties limited the number, displacement, and armament of warships, British designers had to innovate within tight constraints. The ships were specifically designed with the possibility in mind that the treaties might not be renewed as tensions rose between Britain, the United States, Japan, France, and Italy. This forced a focus on 'protection'—the class featured significantly more advanced armor and torpedo protection than previous Royal Navy battleships.

One of the most critical innovations was the 'armoured citadel.' To protect the ship's vitals, the design prioritized magazine protection by placing them at the lowest levels. The main armor belt was 23.5 feet high, extending as far below the waterline as possible to prevent delayed-action armor-piercing shells from diving under it and hitting internal spaces. This belt consisted of three equal-depth strakes, tongue-and-grooved together, with thicknesses varying between 13.7 and 14.7 inches depending on the section. The main armored deck was also multi-layered, providing a complex defense against overhead strikes.

Mechanically, the class introduced a revolutionary layout: alternating engine rooms and boiler rooms. By arranging eight machinery compartments in pairs, the Royal Navy reduced the risk of a single hit disabling the entire propulsion system. While the ships were designed for 110,000 shp, they were capable of reaching overload powers of 125,000 shp. However, the class faced a practical hurdle late in the war; by 1942, the Royal Navy was forced to use low-quality fuel oils with high seawater content, which reduced boiler efficiency until new oil sprayers and burners were fitted in 1944.

The class saw extensive combat, including the sinking of the German battleship Bismarck in 1941 and the German battleship Scharnhorst in 1943. They served as escorts for Soviet convoys, participated in the landings in North Africa, and participated in the bombardment of Japanese facilities in the Pacific. By 1957, all five ships had been sold for scrap.

General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.

Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?

Related

• The treaty-bound battleship that survived the hunt for the Bismarck
• The battleship that was 'cut down' by a global arms treaty
• The naval treaty that forced engineers to choose between speed and armor
• The last battleship ever built was a patchwork of First World War technology
• The Lion-class battleships were Britain's final, failed attempt to dominate the high seas
• The Japanese battlecruisers that forced the United States to build bigger ships
• The headgear that traded heavy leather for practical cloth
• Kortrijk: The Belgian City That Endured Centuries of Conflict to Become a Design Hub
• The Kashubians: A resilient Slavic people caught between empires for over a millennium
• The rifle that could be topped off without opening its bolt
• Kars: The Ancient Border Fortress That Has Changed Hands Countless Times Over Centuries
• How a unique downward-moving bolt design tames the recoil of a modern submachine gun

More in World wars era · More in Wars & Conflicts · Latest · A–Z · All topics