G3 Battlecruiser - Orders and Cancellation

Orders and Cancellation

The four G3 battlecruisers were ordered in October–November 1921, without names, from Swan Hunter, William Beardmore, Fairfield, and John Brown. The Washington Naval Treaty, an arms limitation treaty under negotiation at the time, however, led to the suspension of building on 18 November 1921 and outright cancellation in February 1922 because the treaty forbade construction of any ship larger than 35,000 long tons (36,000 t). Although the ships were ordered, none were actually laid down.

Many of the aspects of their design ultimately were incorporated into the two Nelson-class battleships, and they are often described as being a cut-down G3. Indeed, the Nelsons received the design designation 'O3', marking them as next in the design sequence from the 'N3' battleship design although they used the guns intended for the G3 class for cost reasons and to comply with the Treaty's 16-inch limitation on main armament.