Argentina has always planned to build a fourth Belgrano to equip a full squadron and thoughts are turning to the Treaty.
If Argentina does not join, or if she faces bigger potential enemies then the fourth will be a super type. 20m longer and with improved turbines and an extra triple turret replacing the aircraft facilities.
Project 321 'Super Belgrano', Argentina Light Cruiser laid down 1935
Displacement:
11,495 t light; 11,974 t standard; 13,111 t normal; 14,020 t full load
Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
703.60 ft / 688.98 ft x 65.62 ft x 20.34 ft (normal load)
214.46 m / 210.00 m x 20.00 m x 6.20 m
Armament:
18 - 5.91" / 150 mm guns (6x3 guns), 100.31lbs / 45.50kg shells, 1935 Model
Breech loading guns in turrets (on barbettes)
on centreline ends, evenly spread, 3 raised mounts - superfiring
8 - 3.94" / 100 mm guns (4x2 guns), 30.42lbs / 13.80kg shells, 1935 Model
Dual purpose guns in deck mounts with hoists
on side ends, evenly spread
16 - 1.46" / 37.0 mm guns (8x2 guns), 1.55lbs / 0.70kg shells, 1935 Model
Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts
on side, evenly spread, 4 raised mounts
24 - 0.79" / 20.0 mm guns (4x6 guns), 0.24lbs / 0.11kg shells, 1935 Model
Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts
on side ends, evenly spread, all raised mounts - superfiring
Weight of broadside 2,080 lbs / 943 kg
Shells per gun, main battery: 180
8 - 23.6" / 600 mm above water torpedoes
Armour:
- Belts: Width (max) Length (avg) Height (avg)
Main: 4.72" / 120 mm 405.18 ft / 123.50 m 9.71 ft / 2.96 m
Ends: Unarmoured
Main Belt covers 90 % of normal length
- Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
Main: 4.72" / 120 mm 2.76" / 70 mm 4.72" / 120 mm
2nd: 1.97" / 50 mm 0.79" / 20 mm 1.97" / 50 mm
3rd: 0.39" / 10 mm - -
4th: 0.47" / 12 mm - -
- Armour deck: 2.24" / 57 mm, Conning tower: 4.72" / 120 mm
Machinery:
Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
Geared drive, 4 shafts, 93,968 shp / 70,100 Kw = 33.08 kts
Range 8,000nm at 15.00 kts
Bunker at max displacement = 2,046 tons
Complement:
612 - 796
Cost:
£5.089 million / $20.354 million
Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
Armament: 266 tons, 2.0 %
Armour: 2,863 tons, 21.8 %
- Belts: 782 tons, 6.0 %
- Torpedo bulkhead: 0 tons, 0.0 %
- Armament: 726 tons, 5.5 %
- Armour Deck: 1,299 tons, 9.9 %
- Conning Tower: 57 tons, 0.4 %
Machinery: 2,670 tons, 20.4 %
Hull, fittings & equipment: 5,626 tons, 42.9 %
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 1,616 tons, 12.3 %
Miscellaneous weights: 70 tons, 0.5 %
Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
20,841 lbs / 9,453 Kg = 202.4 x 5.9 " / 150 mm shells or 2.2 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.09
Metacentric height 3.1 ft / 1.0 m
Roll period: 15.6 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 70 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.53
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 1.35
Hull form characteristics:
Hull has a flush deck
and transom stern
Block coefficient: 0.499
Length to Beam Ratio: 10.50 : 1
'Natural speed' for length: 29.85 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 53 %
Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 52
Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 20.00 degrees
Stern overhang: 3.28 ft / 1.00 m
Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
- Stem: 31.17 ft / 9.50 m
- Forecastle (20 %): 22.97 ft / 7.00 m
- Mid (45 %): 22.47 ft / 6.85 m
- Quarterdeck (15 %): 22.47 ft / 6.85 m
- Stern: 22.47 ft / 6.85 m
- Average freeboard: 23.29 ft / 7.10 m
Ship space, strength and comments:
Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 83.3 %
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 185.9 %
Waterplane Area: 31,295 Square feet or 2,907 Square metres
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 126 %
Structure weight / hull surface area: 113 lbs/sq ft or 550 Kg/sq metre
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 0.97
- Longitudinal: 1.35
- Overall: 1.00
Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is excellent
Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent
Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform
Good seaboat, rides out heavy weather easily