WesWorld

There seemed to be times during the various periods of major naval construction when the shipyards themselves became major players in the process. They were 'pitching' their yard's battleship to smaller navies. This started a chain reaction of 'my ship has to be bigger than yours' - largely driven by designers/builders.

One thing that seems to be missing within this structure is the role of the independent shipyard. Designs would be developed and marketed to multiple countries. A design rejected by country A might be adopted by another. Does this type of activity occur within the Wesworld structure?

Given the number of people with ideas for their own designs floating around it might be interesting to get some new ideas into the mix. (These designers may not have any interest in the full spectrum of managing a country, but they do enjoy designing a new BB)

(To some extent alt_naval in his FEH followed this pattern, requesting design proposals from various shipyards/countries and chosing the best)

Hmm. Well, the Philippines has offered their coast defense ship (Dagupan, better known as Panabo) to a few countries...Chile bought a license for the design, the Mexicans chose a U.S. offer instead.

The Philipines aquired an Italian design, then didn't build it. Italy has periodically destroyed Philipino naval designs as well..

Turkey has bought ships from SA and Italy. Sa has bought ships from India.

Normally we all know what our country needs better than most other people.

Quoted

The Philipines aquired an Italian design, then didn't build it.

Stay tuned for 1930.

The Philippines has also purchased MAS boats and an oiler from Italy; has ordered a transport from Japan (and is negiotating for two more) as well as license-built Japanese subchasers, and has just ordered an aircraft carrier from India, planning to build a second ship of that design 'in-house'.

Quoted

Italy has periodically destroyed Philipino naval designs as well..

Thankfully before they were constructed.

It also depends on the nation looking for the design. Turkey is somewhat isolated given their central power status so they have to pay a heavy price from the few yards that will sell to them. Realistically this would be an accurate route to take with Turkey, while other nations could afford to be picky and get the best design possible on the cheap.

My perspective is that it's not just a matter of thinking we know best - it's also a matter of national pride.

It probably would've been smarter for India to order two South African or Japanese-built BBs, but ego drove the country to instead invest the effort (and yard facilities) into doing it locally in the form of Akbar, Jahangir, and whatever the third unit turns out to be in a few years. Sort of a "See, we're important" thing.

Still, it's a valid observation - but give how rarely I go "That's perfect!" when looking at a design, I'll probably keep doing it myself.

Wes: there are some countries out there who could care less that Turkey was a central power...