battlecruiser battlecruiser battle cruiser capital ship built half 20th century similar size cost carried similar armament battleships generally carried armour order obtain faster speeds battlecruisers designed united_kingdom decade century development armoured cruiser time dreadnought succeeded pre dreadnought battleship goal design ship similar armament chase ship lesser armament intended hunt slower older armoured cruisers destroy heavy gunfire avoiding combat powerful slower battleships battlecruisers built increasingly alongside better protected battleships battlecruisers served navies britain germany ottoman_empire australia japan world war notably battle islands raids skirmishes north_sea culminated pitched fleet battle british battlecruisers particular suffered heavy losses jutland light armour vulnerable large caliber shells end war capital ship design developed battleships faster battlecruisers heavily armoured distinction battlecruiser fast battleship limited capital ship construction onwards treated battleships battlecruisers new generation battlecruisers planned scrapped terms treaty 1930s royal_navy continued use battlecruiser classification world war era capital ships remained fleet japan battlecruisers remained service significantly reconstructed rated fledged battleships battlecruisers action world war survived end renewed interest large cruiser killer type warships begun construction battleships battlecruisers curtailed favor needed convoy escorts aircraft carriers cargo ships post cold war era soviet class large guided missile cruisers termed battlecruisers background battlecruiser developed royal_navy years 20th century evolution armoured cruiser armoured cruisers built 1870s attempt armour protection ships fulfilling typical cruiser roles patrol trade protection power projection results rarely satisfactory weight armour required meaningful protection usually meant ship slow battleship result navies preferred build protected cruisers armoured deck protecting engines simply armour 1890s technology began change balance steel armour meant possible cruiser armour protect quick firing guns enemy battleships cruisers alike france russia regarded likely allies event war started build large fast armoured cruisers taking advantage event war britain france russia cruisers threatened cause difficulties british_empire worldwide trade britain concluded needed twice cruisers potential enemy adequately protect empire sea lanes responded perceived threat laying large armoured cruisers completed laid seven classes type total ships building program turn prompted french russians increase construction imperial_german_navy began build large armoured cruisers use overseas stations laying cost cruiser arms race significant period royal_navy spent million new large cruisers spent million armoured cruisers new kind large expensive equivalent battleship increasing size power armoured cruiser led suggestions british naval circles cruisers displace battleships entirely battleship main advantage inch heavy guns heavier armour designed protect shells similar size years advantages little practical value torpedo range yards unlikely battleship engage torpedo range ranges yards increasingly unlikely heavy guns battleship score hits heavy guns relied primitive aiming techniques secondary batteries inch quick firing guns firing plentiful shells likely hit enemy naval expert wrote june outside yards big gun hundreds tons medieval castle effect weight inch guns castle effect equally inside days torpedo effect far certainty admiral john fisher sea lord senior officer royal_navy time thought development new fast armoured ship fond second class battleship renown faster lightly armoured battleship early confusion fisher writing saw battleship cruiser model future developments stop commissioning designs naval architect armoured cruiser heaviest possible armament use fleet design submitted ship long tons capable knots mph armed inch inch guns twin gun turrets protected inches armour belt inch turrets inches inch turrets inches conning tower inches decks mainstream british naval thinking clearly favour heavily armoured battleships fast ships fisher favoured proved effectiveness heavy guns intermediate ones need uniform main caliber ship fire control royal_navy begun consider shift away mixed calibre armament 1890s pre dreadnought big gun design preliminary designs circulated battleships inch inch guns armoured cruisers inch guns late long royal_navy decided use inch guns generation battleships superior performance long range fisher began argue big gun cruisers replace battleships altogether continuing improvement torpedo meant submarines destroyers able destroy battleships fisher view heralded end battleship compromised validity heavy armour protection armoured cruisers remain vital commerce protection use battle fleet country called war country called possessing battleships having fast armoured cruisers clouds fast torpedo craft damage battleships wish battleships armoured cruisers willingly exchange battleships fast armoured cruisers case wanting battleships evidence value fisher views controversial royal_navy given position position insist approach assembled committee designs consisting mixture civilian naval experts determine approach battleship armoured cruiser construction future stated purpose committee investigate report future requirements ships fisher associates key decisions terms reference committee battleship capable knots mph inch guns intermediate capable docking existing cruiser capable knots mph inch guns intermediate armament armoured like recent armoured cruiser capable existing docks battlecruisers plan royal_navy intended start new battleships armoured cruisers year late clear programme considerably smaller lower expected tax revenue need buy chilean battleships construction british yards purchased russians use japanese britain ally economies meant programme consisted battleship armoured cruisers battleship revolutionary battleship dreadnought cruisers ships invincible class fisher later claimed argued committee cancellation remaining battleship construction new class begun completed delayed allow designers learn problems dreadnought ships fulfilled design requirement closely displacement similar dreadnought feet longer accommodate additional boilers powerful turbines propel knots mph new ships maintain speed days pre dreadnought battleships generally hour armed inch guns compared dreadnought inches armour protecting hull gun turrets dreadnought armour comparison inches class marked increase speed displacement firepower compared recent armoured cruisers armour fill role armoured cruisers succeeded expected effectively specifically roles heavy reconnaissance power sweep away screen enemy cruisers close observe enemy superior speed retire close support battle fleet stationed ends battle line stop enemy cruisers battleships harass enemy battleships busy fighting battleships operate fast wing try enemy pursuit enemy fleet ran use speed pursue guns damage slow enemy ships commerce protection new ships hunt enemy cruisers commerce raiders confusion refer new battleship size armoured cruisers set immediately late work begun royal_navy memorandum refers large armoured ships meaning battleships large cruisers october admiralty began classify post dreadnought battleships armoured cruisers capital ships fisher term dreadnought refer new battleships battleships armoured cruisers time invincible class referred cruiser battleships dreadnought cruisers term battlecruiser fisher finally november laid cruisers invincible later types future described classified battle cruisers distinguish armoured cruisers earlier date questions new ships nomenclature came uncertainty actual role lack protection primarily act scouts battle fleet hunter killers enemy cruisers commerce raiders seven inches belt armour equipped adequate hand expected reinforce battle line dreadnoughts heavy guns thin skinned safe enemy heavy guns essentially extremely large heavily armed fast armoured cruisers viability armoured cruiser doubt cruiser worked fleet viable option taking role size armament naval authorities considered capital ships inception assumption inevitable matters naval authorities including lord fisher assessments armoured cruiser ability survive battle line enemy capital ships superior speed assumptions taking account tactical time term battlecruiser given idea battleships fixed people minds convinced instance stated vessels large expensive admiral certain line battle comparatively light protection disadvantage high speed value favor battlecruiser countered points capital ships vulnerable new weapons torpedo armour lost validity second greater speed battlecruiser control range engaged enemy battlecruisers dreadnought arms race launching outbreak world war battlecruiser played junior role developing dreadnought arms race adopted key weapon british imperial defence fisher presumably desired biggest factor lack acceptance marked change britain strategic circumstances conception commissioning ships prospective enemy britain shifted franco russian alliance armoured cruisers increasingly germany britain entered anglo russian france russia posed particular naval threat russian navy largely sunk captured russo japanese war french hurry adopt new dreadnought type design britain boasted relations significant new naval powers japan bolstered signed renewed usa changed strategic circumstances great success dreadnought ensured invincible new model capital ship battlecruiser construction played renewed naval arms race sparked dreadnought years service entirely fulfilled fisher vision able sink ship fast catch run ship capable sinking invincible circumstances able enemy pre dreadnought battleship naval circles concurred armoured cruiser current form come logical end development far ahead enemy armoured cruiser firepower speed proved difficult justify building bigger cruisers lead extended surprise dreadnought invincible produced having built secret prompted navies delay building programmes radically revise designs particularly true cruisers details invincible class kept secret longer meant german armoured cruiser armed guns match new battlecruisers royal_navy early superiority capital ships led rejection design essentially fused battlecruiser battleship concepts eventually fast battleship design combined armour armament dreadnought knot speed invincible additional cost justified given existing british lead new liberal government need economy slower cheaper relatively close copy dreadnought adopted instead concept eventually fulfilled queen elizabeth class later navies british battlecruisers class slightly improved built fundamentally specification partly political pressure limit costs partly secrecy surrounding german battlecruiser construction particularly heavy armour der class came widely seen mistake generation british battlecruisers markedly powerful sense national crisis rivalry germany cost cutting naval panic resulted approval total capital ships fisher pressed battlecruisers unable way settle battleships battlecruisers lion class lions carried inch guns standard caliber british super dreadnought battleships speed increased knots mph armour protection good german designs better previous british battlecruisers inch armour belt barbettes lions followed similar germany built battlecruisers superiority british ships longer assured german_navy share fisher view battlecruiser contrast british focus increasing speed firepower germany progressively improved armour staying power ships better british battlecruisers von der begun completed carried inch guns inch armour far better protected similar carried inch guns improved design designed finished modified speed increased knot knots mph armour maximum thickness inches equivalent class battleships years earlier germany battlecruiser completed world war step battlecruiser design came japan imperial_japanese_navy planning class ships determined japanese economy support relatively ships powerful likely competitors initially class planned learning british plans lion likelihood new battleships armed inch guns japanese decided radically revise plans better new plan drawn carrying inch guns capable knots mph marginally having edge lions speed firepower heavy guns better positioned superfiring fore aft turret amidships armour scheme marginally improved lions inches armour turrets inches barbettes ship class built britain constructed japan japanese classified powerful armoured cruisers classes carrying inch guns battlecruisers nonetheless armament weaker slower battlecruiser british battlecruiser tiger intended initially fourth ship lion class substantially redesigned retained inch guns predecessors positioned like better fields fire faster making knots mph sea trials carried heavier secondary armament tiger heavily armoured maximum thickness armour inches height main armour belt increased desired improvements ship approved designer sir wanted small bore water tube boilers geared turbines speed knots mph received support authorities engine makers refused request saw work begin german battlecruisers class german battlecruisers mount inch guns ships like tiger guns arranged superfiring turrets greater efficiency armour speed similar previous class russian_empire began construction ship class designed service baltic_sea ships designed carry inch guns armour inches thick speed knots mph heavy armour relatively slow speed ships similar german designs british ships construction halted world war scrapped end russian civil war world war construction combatants capital ship construction limited war germany finished class began work class development class inch guns broadly similar armour scheme designed knots mph britain returned office sea lord october enthusiasm big fast ships set designers producing design battlecruiser inch guns fisher expected german battlecruiser steam knots required new british design capable knots planned revenge class battleships approved laid new design fisher finally received approval project december renown class inch guns inch armour step forward tiger firepower speed returned level protection british battlecruisers time fisher resorted obtain fast lightly armoured ships use spare inch gun turrets left battleship construction ships essentially light battlecruisers fisher occasionally referred officially classified large light cruisers unusual designation required construction new capital ships placed hold limits light cruiser construction courageous sisters glorious furious bizarre main guns inches inches furious armour inches thickness scale light cruiser design generally regarded failure nicknamed fleet outrageous later conversion ships aircraft carriers successful fisher speculated new lightly built battlecruiser carry inch guns termed hms got concept stage held classes designed fisher plan land troops possibly russian german baltic coast specifically designed reduced draught important shallow baltic clear cut evidence ships designed baltic considered earlier ships draught operational conditions roberts argues focus baltic probably time ships designed inflated later disastrous final british battlecruiser design war admiral class born requirement improved version queen elizabeth battleship project began end fisher final departure admiralty initially envisaged battleship senior sea officers felt britain battleships new battlecruisers required combat german ships built british german progress class likely capabilities battlecruiser design inch guns inches armour capable knots decided experience battlecruisers battle jutland meant design radically revised transformed fast battleship armour inches thick capable knots mph ship class hood built according design counter possible completion class ship plans sisters little work revised later improve protection admiral class british ships capable taking german class german drastically slowed war launched completed germans worked briefly ships class modified versions inch guns work additional suspended march enable escorts merchant ships built deal new threat boats trade finally cancelled february battlecruisers action combat involving battlecruisers world war august force british light cruisers destroyers entered north_sea closest hamburg attack german destroyer patrols met opposition light cruisers vice admiral took squadron battlecruisers bight turned tide battle ultimately sinking german light cruisers killing commander german battlecruiser impact early war stationed mediterranean escorting light cruiser evaded british french ships outbreak war steamed constantinople istanbul british battlecruisers hot pursuit german ships handed instrumental bringing ottoman_empire war renamed fought engagements imperial_russian_navy black_sea british original battlecruiser concept proved successful december battle islands british battlecruisers invincible precisely job intended chased annihilated centered armoured cruisers light cruisers commanded admiral prior battle australian battlecruiser australia unsuccessfully searched german ships pacific barbette german flagship struck british inch shell shell penetrate barbette piece barbette armour allowed flame shell enter barbette charges hoisted upwards ignited turret magazine setting fire charges removed brass cartridge cases gun crew tried escape turret allowed flash spread turret killing crews turrets saved near certain destruction emergency flooding magazines effected near disaster way ammunition handling arranged common german british battleships battlecruisers lighter protection vulnerable turret barbette penetrated germans learned investigating damaged instituted measures ensure ammunition handling possible exposure flash apart handling battle inconclusive british flagship lion severely damaged lion lost speed causing fall rest unable effectively command ships remainder engagement british signalling error allowed german battlecruisers withdraw squadron mistakenly concentrated crippled armoured cruiser sinking great loss life british blamed failure win decisive victory poor gunnery attempted increase rate fire unprotected charges ammunition barbettes battle jutland british german battlecruisers employed fleet units british battlecruisers engaged german counterparts battlecruisers german battleships arrival battleships result disaster royal_navy battlecruiser squadrons invincible exploded loss handful crews exact reason ships magazines detonated known exposed charges stored turrets ammunition working chambers quest increase rate fire undoubtedly contributed loss flagship lion lost similar manner save heroic actions major better armoured german battlecruisers fared better poor performance british british shells tended explode break impact german armour german battlecruiser lost jutland killed instance despite receiving thirty hits german battlecruisers von der heavily damaged required extensive repairs battle barely making home focus british fire battle interwar period years immediately world war britain japan usa began design work new generation powerful battleships battlecruisers new burst nation navy desired politically controversial potentially economically nascent arms race prevented major naval powers agreed limits capital ship numbers german navy represented talks terms treaty versailles germany allowed modern capital ships 1920s 1930s britain japan retained battlecruisers modified rebuilt original designs line battlecruiser modern fast battleship blurred japanese formally redesignated battleships plans aftermath world war hood launched world war battlecruiser completed owing lessons jutland ship modified construction thickness belt armour increased average percent extended substantially given heavier deck armour protection magazines improved guard ammunition hoped capable resisting weapons classic measure balanced battleship hood largest ship royal_navy completed thanks great displacement theory combined firepower armour battleship speed battlecruiser causing refer fast battleship protection markedly british battleships built immediately world war nelson class navies japan united_states affected immediately war time develop new heavy inch guns latest designs battlecruiser designs light combat experience europe imperial_japanese_navy began class battlecruisers vessels unprecedented size power fast armoured hood whilst carrying main battery inch guns powerful armament proposed battlecruiser purposes fast battleships differences class battleships inch armour knots mph increase speed united_states_navy worked battlecruiser designs watched latest developments class great care responded lexington class completed planned exceptionally fast armed inch guns carried armour little better long ton increase protection following jutland final stage post war battlecruiser race came british response lexington types long ton battlecruisers royal_navy documents period described battleship speed knots mph battlecruiser regardless protective armour considered balanced fast battleship meant designs came fruition ships started broken converted aircraft carriers japan selected conversion damaged repair earthquake broken scrap hull proposed class battleships converted united_states_navy converted battlecruiser hulls aircraft carriers wake uss considered marginally scrapping hulls outright remaining ranger constitution united_states scrapped britain fisher large light cruisers converted carriers furious partially converted war glorious courageous similarly converted rebuilding programmes total battlecruisers survived hms tiger later victim london naval conference scrapped high speed valuable surface units spite weaknesses ships significantly updated world war renown modernized significantly 1920s 1930s partially modernized bridge modified aircraft hangar catapult new gunnery equipment added anti aircraft armament increased renown underwent thorough reconstruction deck armour increased new turbines boilers fitted aircraft hangar catapult added completely rearmed aside main guns elevation increased degrees bridge structure removed large bridge similar king george class battleships installed place conversions kind generally added weight vessel renown actually decreased substantially lighter power plant similar thorough planned hood cancelled advent world war unable build new ships imperial_japanese_navy chose improve existing battlecruisers class initially later disarmed terms washington treaty substantial elevation main guns increased degrees anti torpedo long tons horizontal armour added mast additional command positions built reduced ships speed knots mph second reconstruction focused speed selected fast escorts aircraft carrier task forces completely new main engines reduced number boilers increase hull length feet allowed reach knots reclassified fast battleships armour guns fell short compared surviving world war era battleships american british navies dire consequences pacific war easily crippled gunfire actions forcing shortly crippled medium caliber gunfire heavy light cruisers close range night engagement exceptions turkey royal_navy hood minor improvements ship interwar period primarily focused repairing wartime damage installation new fire control systems anti aircraft batteries hood constant service fleet withdrawn extended reconstruction received minor improvements course 1930s including modern fire control systems increased numbers anti aircraft guns march radar naval late 1930s navies began build capital ships period number large commerce raiders small fast battleships built referred battlecruisers germany russia designed new battlecruisers period laid ton class germans invaded construction suspended ships scrapped war germans planned battlecruisers class expansion kriegsmarine plan inch guns high speed excellent range thin armour intended commerce raiders ordered shortly world war work names assigned known contract names new class universally welcomed kriegsmarine light protection gained nickname armour nonsense certain circles navy world war royal_navy deployed battlecruisers april engaged action renown bad weather damaged renown inch shells passed director control tower exploding electrical communication cables went destroyed forward turrets main battery fire control shifted aft loss electrical power shell renown knocked aft turret british ship struck twice german shells failed inflict significant damage battlecruiser survive war early years war german ships measure success hunting merchant ships atlantic allied battlecruisers renown fast battleships employed operations hunt commerce raiding german ships got close targets stand fight occurred battleship heavy cruiser sortied north_atlantic attack british shipping intercepted hood battleship prince wales elderly british battlecruiser match modern german battleship minutes inch shells caused magazine explosion hood reminiscent men survived battlecruiser action pacific war sunk japanese torpedo bombers north singapore december whilst company prince wales lightly damaged single kilogram bomb near missed japanese attack speed agility enabled avoid attacks level bombers dodge torpedoes group torpedo bombers attacked multiple directions struck torpedoes quickly capsized loss officers crewmen officers enlisted men rescued escorting destroyers loss prince wales proved vulnerability capital ships aircraft air cover japanese class battlecruisers extensively carrier escorts wartime career high speed world war era armament weaker upgraded armour thin compared contemporary battleships november naval battle american cruisers destroyers point blank range ship badly damaged encounter towed sister ship spotted american aircraft following morning forced cast tow repeated aerial attacks captain ordered crew abandon ship damage scuttled early evening november night november second naval battle returned sound encountered american battleships washington failing detect washington engaged effect washington opened fire minutes later short range badly damaged knocking aft turrets rudder hitting ship waterline flooding proved capsized half hours later returning japan battle torpedoed sunk american submarine november moored japan naval base attacked american carrier aircraft july ship lightly damaged single bomb hit july hit dozen times july sank pier refloated war scrapped early large cruisers cruiser killers late renaissance popularity ships battleships cruisers size occurred eve world war described battlecruisers classified capital ships variously described super cruisers large cruisers cruisers dutch american japanese navies planned new classes specifically counter heavy cruisers counterparts built naval rivals battlecruisers dutch design designed protect colonies face japanese aggression officially assigned names ships designed german italian assistance broadly resembled german class main battery lightly armoured protected inch gunfire design completed work vessels commenced germans overran netherlands ship laid june year class late battlecruisers actually built united_states navy alaska class large cruisers completed alaska guam hawaii cancelled construction named philippines puerto_rico cancelled laid classified large cruisers instead battlecruisers status non capital ships evidenced named territories battleships contrast named states cruisers cities main armament inch guns triple turrets displacement long tons twice size baltimore class cruisers guns larger diameter lacked thick armoured belt intricate torpedo defence system true capital ships unlike battlecruisers considered balanced design according cruiser standards protection withstand fire caliber gun albeit narrow range band designed hunt japanese heavy cruisers time entered service japanese cruisers sunk american aircraft submarines like contemporary iowa class fast battleships speed ultimately useful carrier escorts bombardment ships surface combatants developed japanese started designing class similar alaska millimetre guns news led upgrade design creating design armed guns best armed new breed battlecruisers sufficient protection inch shells like dutch japanese got far completing design laid time designs ready japanese navy recognized little use vessels priority construction lie aircraft carriers like japanese ships battlecruisers referring instead super heavy cruisers cold war era designs spite fact navies abandoned battleship battlecruiser concepts world war fondness big gun armed warships caused soviet_union plan large cruiser class late 1940s soviet_union termed heavy cruisers fruits program project cruisers tonnes long tons standard load guns speed knots mph ships laid cancelled april death central armoured hull section ship launched target soviet class referenced battlecruiser classification arises long ton displacement roughly equal world war battleship twice displacement contemporary cruisers class lacks armour distinguishes battlecruisers ordinary cruisers classified heavy nuclear powered missile cruisers russia members class completed 1980s 1990s budget constraints operational plans announced return ships service ship refitted ships reportedly economical repair
Battlecruiser