æz ɐ bˈæɾəlʃˌɪp nˈoːɹməli tˈʊk nˌɑːt lˈɛs ðɐn θɹˈiː jˈɪɹz tə pɹəɡɹˈɛs fɹʌm lˈeɪɪŋdˌaʊn tə lˈɑːntʃ, ænd æz æt ðæt tˈaɪm wˈɔːɹʃɪp ɡˈʌn dɪzˈaɪnz wɜː bˌiːɪŋ ʌpɡɹˈeɪdᵻd ɐpɹˈɑːksɪmətli ˈænjuːəli, ðɪs wʌzɐ ɹˈiːəl ænd sˈɪɹiəs pɹˈɑːbləm.
As a battleship normally took not less than three years to progress from laying-down to launch, and as at that time warship gun designs were being upgraded approximately annually, this was a real and serious problem.