 The ships ' main armament was composed of eight 370 mm ( 15 in ) guns in two quadruple turrets . Both turrets were placed on the centerline , on either end of the ship . The gun fired a 880 @-@ kilogram ( 1 @,@ 940 lb ) shell that was capable of penetrating 300 mm ( 12 in ) of armor plate at a range of 12 @,@ 700 m ( 41 @,@ 700 ft ) . A secondary battery for defense against torpedo boats consisted of twenty @-@ eight 138 @.@ 6 mm guns , of a new semi @-@ automatic design , mounted in casemates . Four 47 mm saluting guns were also to be installed . The should would also to have carried four 450 mm torpedo tubes , all submerged in the ships ' hulls . The ships ' armor system was identical to the " A " design . 
