Not counting the Normandy-class battleships, the dreadnoughts currently owned by France, and the three "Dandong"-class battleships known as the "most powerful pre-dreadnoughts", France now has a total of 10 battleships, which is still powerful.
A total of 6 "Dandong" class battleships were built. During the World War, the "Dandong" battleship was sunk by the German submarine U64 near the waters of Sardinia. The "Vigno" and "Mirabe" were sunk in Croatia last year.
Rimea was hit hard by a storm. After returning to Toulon, both ships were treated as target ships. Only three ships are still in service, namely "Condorcet", "Diderot", and "Voltaire"
”, the displacement is 18890 tons.
The largest warship in southern Africa, the heavy cruiser "Johannesburg", has a tonnage of only 9,500, which is comparable to a little more than half of the three "Dreadnoughts".
"That won't work either." Bainbridge Colby refused to let go. This is not a question of strength or lack thereof. The purpose of the Washington Naval Conference is to limit the arms race, not to determine naval strength. If France and Italy are really given 300,000 tons, then France
And Italy will definitely build new ships.
Mediterranean
The UK also has extensive interests. Once France and Italy build new ships, will the UK build them?
The United Kingdom will build new ships, and the United States will definitely follow suit.
The United States has formulated a new shipbuilding plan, and Japan will definitely have to follow suit.
In this way, the Washington Naval Conference would be meaningless.
After thinking about this problem, Rock also wanted to "get sick" directly.
It's a pity that it doesn't work. The 60-year-old Yusaburo Kato is trying hard to persevere. There is no reason for the strong Roque to get sick.
Entering September, the meeting still produced no results. At this time, news came from the French government. Considering that it would take five to six years to restart the Normandy-class battleships, the French government decided to give up and dismantle all five Normandy-class battleships for sale.
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Among the five battleships, except for the slower-moving "Béarne", whose hull completion is only 25%, the other four have a hull completion of more than 60%, and the main engine completion is between 50% and 70%.
etc., the boilers of "Normandy", "Flanders", and "Gascony" have been completed and used to equip other ships, and the boiler of "Languedoc" is 96% complete.
This news attracted the attention of all parties participating in the naval meeting. However, it is not easy for the French government to sell the ship. Countries that are capable of equipping dreadnoughts look down on Normandy-class battleships, and countries that are unable to afford them cannot afford them. The French government once considered
The highly completed hulls of the first four ships will be repurposed for other uses. The reconstruction plan includes cargo ships, cruise ships, oil tankers and even floating fuel warehouses. However, either the cost is too high or the safety is insufficient, so they can only be sold separately.
"Southern Africa also needs a strong navy. A navy without dreadnoughts has no soul. Powerful dreadnoughts are the symbol of sea power. Aircraft carriers have a future, but their deterrence is insufficient. If Southern Africa is willing to purchase these five Normandy-class ships
The hulls of battleships, then taking into account the friendship between France and southern Africa, the French government will give a price that includes friendship." Albert Salau is willing to sell the hulls of five Normandy-class battleships at a friendly price.
Southern Africa, in this way, the French government gets rid of its burden, and Southern Africa has a dreadnought, a win-win situation!
"Your Excellency, the total tonnage of the Royal Navy's capital ships has exceeded 500,000 tons. It is even necessary to dismantle the dreadnoughts in service before building new ships. Moreover, the performance of the Normandy-class battleships is not good. They are now seriously lagging behind, and they are still only
It’s just a hull, it doesn’t even have a boiler or a main gun, so why do we need it?” Rock said that the Normandy-class battleship was almost worthless, but in fact it was not that bad.
The design displacement of the Normandy-class battleship is 25,000 tons. It is equipped with five twin-mounted 340 mm caliber main guns. It was later modified to three quadruple-mounted turrets. It has a maximum speed of 21 knots. It has specially strengthened underwater protection and enhanced defense against torpedoes.
ability.
Compared with the latest battleships from the United Kingdom, the United States and Japan, although the Normandy-class battleship has obvious shortcomings, it is still very attractive to countries in southern Africa that do not have battleships. Generally speaking, the Normandy-class battleship is still in competition with the United Kingdom.
The performance of the King George V-class battleships in service is similar.
The King George V class battleships are not the later King George V class. The construction of the King George V class battleships started in 1911. There were 4 ships of the same class. During the First World War, the "Bold" left port in October 1914.
During training, it hit a mine in the waters north of Ireland and the port side engine room was flooded. After losing power, the towing failed, capsized and sank. The other three ships participated in the Battle of Jutland. After the war, in accordance with the provisions of the "Washington Naval Treaty", in order to give Nelson-class battleships
The construction left a tonnage gap and all were retired.
Unfortunately, the Southern African Navy is part of the British Navy and is not eligible to form a separate navy. Therefore, Southern Africa cannot buy Normandy-class battleships, nor can it equip them if purchased.
"The Normandy-class battleship is not as bad as you said. Even if it is not built into a battleship, it can be converted into an aircraft carrier or other ships." Albert Salau said earnestly, and he also took great pains to throw out the five iron shells.
The key is that the price charged by the French is not cheap.
You must know that the cost of French man-made warships is much higher than the cost of building warships in Southern Africa. Generally speaking, the cost of the same warship in Southern Africa is more than half lower than the cost in France. That is why Roque looks down on the Normandy-class battleship.
This is completely different from selling off aircraft carrier shells in a certain country in the future.
"Your Excellency Minister, even if a battleship is converted into an aircraft carrier, its performance will be greatly limited. Southern Africa has the best aircraft carrier in the world, so there is no need to buy hull modifications." When it comes to aircraft carriers, Narok really doesn't want them.
The two aircraft carriers produced for the United Kingdom in southern Africa have a full load displacement of 22,000 tons and can carry 80 carrier-based aircraft.
The "Transvaal" and "Nyasaland" that have already laid their keels in southern Africa have reduced their full load displacement to only 20,000 tons, but can carry more carrier-based aircraft, reaching an unprecedented 108, and their combat effectiveness is unprecedentedly powerful.
"3 million, five Normandy-class battleships, only 3 million." Albert Salau directly offered the price. The price was indeed not expensive, but it was not enough for Roque.
"It's just five iron hulls. The hull of the Béarne is only 25% complete. 3 million francs?" Roque's counter-offer was very insincere, and selling scrap iron would cost more than that.
"Lord, those are five powerful battleships. Among them, the Normandie and Flanders, which are the fastest progressing, have 60% of their hulls completed, and 73% of the main engine of the 'Languedoc' has been completed. It can be
He said that he only needs to spend a small amount of money and time to get five powerful battleships." Albert Salau looked ugly. Converting 3 million francs into rands, it was only about 120,000.
"Let me think about it." Roque didn't say anything. There is actually room for maneuver here.
Just because southern Africa cannot equip battleships does not mean that East India or the Sultanate of Najd cannot equip them. East India and the Sultanate of Najd are not Commonwealth countries and are not subject to the restrictions of the Washington Naval Conference.
Of course, if East India purchases battleships, it will definitely be opposed by Japan, and the Sultanate of Najd will be opposed by France and Italy.
But it doesn’t matter. Next to Southern Africa are the Kingdom of Mozambique, the Republic of Congo, the Kingdom of Congo, and the newly independent West Africa. These countries can all use it.
After sending Albert Salau away, Roque sent a telegram to Pretoria and summoned Stoudemire and Owen to discuss how to use chickens to lay eggs.
"Neither the East India nor the Sultanate of Najd. These two regions have conflicts of interest with Japan and Italy. Once these two countries equip dreadnoughts, it will cause uneasiness in Japan and Italy, as well as France." Owen knows how big this problem is.
Sensitive. Dreadnoughts are different from battleships. They can cause regional power imbalances every minute, which may lead to war.
"Then let the Republic of Congo and the Kingdom of Congo buy it. No one cares about these two countries." Stoudemire and Rock are just as worried about the world being in chaos.
"The United States will object." Owen is still worried. The United States is very aware of the relationship between southern Africa and the Republic of Congo and the Kingdom of Congo. If the Republic of Congo and the Kingdom of Congo buy it, it will be a disguised increase in the strength of the Royal Navy.
"No, no, it's different, Owen, the United States will not object, and of course it will not support it. The United States will acquiesce," Stoudemire sneered. If Southern Africa has four Normandy-class battleships, then the ambitions of the Southern African Navy will expand.
, maybe they will actively pursue battleships with larger tonnage, and then some new problems will arise within the Royal Navy.
The country in the world that most hopes to see southern Africa become independent from the Commonwealth is probably the United States.
"Okay, then, the final question is, is the Normandy-class battleship worth our money?" Irving is worried not only about funds, but also about technology and capabilities.
The 3 million offered by Albert Salau was definitely not in francs. Whether it was in rands or pounds, 3 million was too expensive to buy five hulls. Cutting it in half would be almost the same.
Even if it is cut in half, if all five Normandy-class battleships are built, the investment will probably be at least 10 to 20 million.
Let’s not talk about funds. Southern Africa has money. Funds are not a problem. The problem is technology and capabilities. Although Port Edward can build an aircraft carrier of more than 20,000 tons, it has never built a battleship. Whether it has this capability has yet to be verified.
And more importantly, once the five Normandy-class battleships are completed, the use of these five Normandy-class battleships will require at least seven to eight thousand sailors. Plus the logistics department and base staff, the manpower required will definitely exceed 10,000.
This is another heavy burden for the Southern African Ministry of Defense.
Of course, there are benefits. Regardless of whether Rock likes battleships or not, it would be unreasonable for a powerful country's navy to not have three or five battleships to support its appearance.
Including Patton, if Patton was given a choice between a battleship and an aircraft carrier, Patton would probably choose the battleship.
