design cruiser design class cruisers planned imperial_japanese_navy world war envisioned cruisers play key role portion decisive battle strategy japan hoped event war employ united_states_navy begun plans far tests conducted main armament underwater protection ships approved construction fleet program aircraft carriers smaller ships war followed japan defeat killed chance construction mission plan japanese navy experience russo japanese war especially strongly influenced creation decisive battle doctrine guided development deployment battle fleet world war decisive battle concept primary strategy defeating navies major western powers great_britain united_states event war strategy consisted main components decisive surface fleet engagement determined big guns attrition tactics numerically superior enemy reliance quality quantity naval weaponry employment nighttime torpedo attacks london naval treaty placed restrictions size fleet comparison fleets western powers notably united_states decisive battle strategy received increased emphasis formed designed night battle force attack hypothetical enemy usually envisioned japanese outer defense ring cruisers destroyers night cracking outer defense ring cruisers destroyers launch torpedo attacks enemy battleships remained enemy fleet finished main battleship line following day assigned division fast battleships battlecruisers additional firepower nocturnal attacks class battlecruiser initially assigned role upgraded fast battleships seven year period planned eventually replace battleships heavy super cruisers envisioned ships cruisers mount inch guns carry armor designed withstand hits inch shells capable speeds knots designated super class cruisers greater status class ships heavy cruisers plan cruiser class finalized circle circle warship construction plans january plan called built constructed circle remainder circle time japanese intelligence learned specifications united_states navy alaska class large cruisers authorized creation passage ordered september japanese believed ships form american battle fleet screen times war intended counter threat posed alaska class cruisers design design work began preliminary plans new class finished september far tests lower protection armor intended counter shell fell short hit ship albeit underwater torpedoes main armament conducted plans called ships bore striking resemblance class battleships bow flush deck construction generally similar superstructure albeit reduced size primary weapons caliber guns triple turrets torpedo tubes firing excellent type long lance torpedo secondary weapons included sixteen caliber type dual purpose guns dual mounts superstructure paired type anti aircraft guns hotchkiss machine guns weight main battery turrets long tons short tons long tons short tons devoted armor plans figure distributed survived cruisers protected belt armor sloped deck armor geared turbine sets generated shp total shp power ships water mph faster fundamental design requirement mph attempt counter alaska class cruisers guns proposal increase main battery armor protection resist forth increase displacement long tons short tons reduction performance entailed meant came proposed changes final plans cancellation war united_states navy found pressing need aircraft carriers auxiliary vessels need plus desire complete ongoing circle construction programs delayed initiation circle plan following japanese navy defeat battle midway june circle plan significantly revised circle postponed indefinitely new plan called construction ships given hull numbers projected commissioning dates respectively war progressed strategic requirements delayed plans cruisers end plans finalized contracts construction placed
Design B-65 cruiser