Preussen

The experience gained at the beginning of World War II prompted a revision of the technical characteristics of ships under construction. It was necessary to improve the horizontal armor while maintaining the draft at 11.5 m for operations in the shallow waters of the North Sea. The new design incorporated a triple bottom and a larger number of watertight compartments for protection against underwater explosions. The main caliber reached 457 mm, which represented a drastic increase in firepower. Later, however, the focus of naval construction shifted toward submarines, and new battleships were no longer laid down for the needs of the Navy.