Editing Tegetthoff-class battleship (section)

=== Proposals ===
[[File:SMS Zrinyi.png|thumb|left|300px|A ship of the ''Radetzky'' class, {{SMS|Zrínyi||2}}. The ''Tegetthoff'' class was initially based on the design of the ''Radetzky'' class]]
Following up on Montecuccoli's memorandum, the Naval Section of the War Ministry submitted its specifications for the ''Tegetthoff''-class battleships to [[Stabilimento Tecnico Triestino]] in October 1908, who in turn hired [[naval architecture|naval architect]] [[Siegfried Popper]] to produce a design. In December 1908, the Naval Section of the War Ministry also began a competition for the design of the ''Tegetthoff'' class, with the aim of producing alternate designs aside from those Stabilimento Tecnico Triestino would present.{{sfn|Sieche|1991|p=113}}

Emperor Franz Joseph I approved Montecuccoli's plan in January 1909, who subsequently circulated it among the governments in Vienna and Budapest.{{sfn|Sondhaus|1994|p=183}} In March, Popper presented five pre-project designs for the ''Tegetthoff'' class. These initial designs were effectively enlarged versions of the ''Radetzky'' class and lacked the triple [[gun turret|turrets]] which would later be found on the ''Tegetthoff''s.{{sfn|Scheltema de Heere|1973|p=77}} In April 1909, Popper returned with a new set of proposals, named "Variant VIII" which included triple turrets.{{sfn|Sieche|1991|p=114}} That same month, Montecuccoli's memorandum found its way into Italian newspapers, sparking hysteria among the Italian people and politicians. The Italian Navy used the report as justification for initiating a new dreadnought program. In June 1909 {{ship|Italian battleship|Dante Alighieri||2}} was laid down at the naval shipyard in [[Castellammare di Stabia]].{{sfn|Sondhaus|1994|p=183}}