directors for the 6-inch guns for barrage fire against aerial targets, with three combined HA/LA directors for the 4.5-inch guns for use against both surface and air targets. Each Bofors mount was to be fitted with an integrated fire control radar. This gave a capability for up to 17 aerial targets to be engaged simultaneously (four with long-range barrage fire from the 6-inch guns, three by the 4.5-inch guns and ten at short-range by the Bofors guns). Armour The ships' main vertical belt armour was thick amidships, which thinned to forwards and aft. Horizontal armour consisted of a thick upper deck and a 1-inch thick lower deck, thickening to inches over the ships' steering gear. The main gun turrets had 4-inch-thick faces with thick armour on the turret roof, sides and rear. Longitudinal and transverse armoured bulkheads of up to 4-inch thickness were placed around the ships' machinery compartments and magazines. Complement The ships had a planned complement of 1,351 officers and ratings when operating as a flagship. Construction programme Five ships of the new design, which was now known as the Neptune class, to be named Neptune, Centurion, Edgar, Mars and Minotaur, were included in the 1944 construction programme. In addition, it was planned to complete the Tiger-class cruiser Bellerophon, construction of which had been suspended before it was laid down, to the new design, giving a total of six ships. Completion by 1950 was expected. The programme continued following the end of the war, with pressure growing to divert shipbuilding capacity to build more profitable ocean passenger liners, with it being hoped in November 1945 that two ships could be laid down as soon as possible. In late February–March 1946 the Sea Lords, in drawing up the 1947 ship programme, decided to cancel the Neptune class. The order for Bellerophon was cancelled with the shipbuilder on 28 February 1946 and the Neptune class stopped in ADM 205/64 due to the lack of finance for cruiser construction in post war austerity Britain and deep division among the naval staff over the role of the cruiser in AA defence and joint operation with aircraft carriers in defence of and attack on trade. Given the priority of air defence, further consideration and planning with the United States Navy was required to determine the desired size and calibre of long range AA guns, and particular study was ordered on the new, US