A treaty battleship refers to a specific type of warship explicitly designed and built in accordance with the terms and limitations set by an international treaty or agreement. A treaty battleship is a naval vessel manufactured during a period when nations were bound by specific arms control or disarmament treaties, intending to restrict the size, armament, or capabilities of naval forces.
The term "treaty battleship" primarily emerged during the interwar period (1919-1939), following the conclusion of several treaties like the Washington Naval Treaty of 1922, London Naval Treaty of 1930, and the Second London Naval Treaty of 1936. These agreements aimed to prevent an arms race on the seas and maintain a balance of power between nations.
The key provisions of these treaties focused on limiting the displacement, main armament caliber, and number of battleships and battlecruisers that each nation was allowed to possess. In response, naval designers developed treaty battleships that adhered to these restrictions while still providing reasonable firepower and combat readiness.
Treaty battleships were generally characterized by their reduced tonnage, moderate caliber main guns, and smaller overall size compared to their predecessors. These warships often had a displacement of around 35,000 to 45,000 tons and carried main armament ranging from 13 to 16 inches. Additionally, treaty battleships were designed with improved armor protection and advanced engineering to maximize their operational effectiveness within the treaty limitations.
The notion of treaty battleships became obsolete with the outbreak of World War II in 1939. The conflict prompted nations to prioritize the construction of more powerful and heavily armed warships that disregarded the limitations set by previous treaties, marking the end of the era of treaty battleships.
