Editing County-class cruiser (section)

===''Norfolk'' class===
The final pair of Counties – {{HMS|Norfolk|78|2}} and {{HMS|Dorsetshire|40|2}} – formed the ''Norfolk'' class. Another two ships that had been deferred from the 1927–1928 and 1928–1929 programmes – to have been named ''Northumberland'' and ''Surrey'' – were ordered on 15 May 1929, but suspended on 23 August and finally cancelled on 14 January 1930. A proposed fifth vessel of the sub-class was also cancelled.<ref>Marriot (2005) c. 2, para. 14</ref> This was due to the [[1929 United Kingdom general election|change in administration in 1929]] that ushered in a minority [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]] government under [[Ramsay MacDonald]]. The new government cancelled the ships as an economy measure and as a gesture to the forthcoming [[London Naval Conference 1930]].<ref name="Marriot 2005"/>{{Page needed|date=January 2020}}

The ''Norfolk''s were repeats of the ''London''s with minor alterations. The bridge and after superstructure were lowered. The 8-inch gun mountings were Mark II variants that simplified loading but ended up being heavier than the Mark I variant.<ref>Marriot (2005) Appendix 3, para. 4</ref> The 4-inch guns were relocated forwards in order that they did not obstruct the catapult and aircraft which had been mounted lower down than in their predecessors. During 1937, the 4-inch guns were replaced by twins, octuple 2-pounders were added around the after superstructure and the single guns forward were removed. These improvements pushed the standard displacement over 10,400 tons.<ref name="lenton"/>{{Page needed|date=January 2020}}

During the war, [[Unrotated Projectile|UP rocket]] launchers were initially added, but they were later removed along with the Vickers guns. These were replaced by the altogether more useful 20&nbsp;mm Oerlikon gun. An additional director for the 4-inch guns was added, and the pole masts were replaced by tripods to support the additional weight of masthead electronics. ''Dorsetshire'' was sunk in 1942, and so it was only ''Norfolk'' that underwent a refit in 1944, during which her aircraft, catapult and X turret were removed. This allowed four quadruple 2-pounder mounts and their directors and four single 40&nbsp;mm Bofors guns to be added. An extra superstructure was added aft to carry barrage directors, fitted with [[List of World War II British naval radar#Type 283|radar Type 283]], which finally allowed the main armament to serve in its intended anti-aircraft role.

It was intended for ''Surrey'' and ''Northumberland'' to have a modified design, more heavily armoured but {{convert|2|kn}} slower.<ref>[ADM 1/9301 10,000ton Cruiser: legend and design. 1929 and ADM 1/9306 "Y" design Cruiser: report and details. 1929]</ref>{{Primary source inline|date=January 2020}}