Shiro-Benacian naval arms race

The naval arms race between Shireroth and the Benacian Union that occurred during the early decades of the eighteenth century after Norton was a consequence of the complicated relationship between the Imperial Republic and the Vulture States established after Kalirion Fracture. Of these vultures, the Benacian Union, established in the aftermath of the Second Elwynnese Civil War, was ultimately the most inimical to coexistence with Shireroth on account of its ideological character and hegemonic aspirations. Whilst driven by a bilateral relationship that had worsened over several decades, the arms race began with a plan by Steward Louis Thuylemans in 1718 AN to create a fleet in being, with which to assert strategic autonomy within the Raspur Pact.

In addition to this initial aim, the Shirerithian naval build-up would subsequently acquire two additional and critical objectives:

1. Control of the Shire Sea, thereby maintaining communication and supply lines connecting to the Eastern Imperium.
2. The reassertion of strategic control over the Emirate of Sathrati, whose islands had remained in many respects a renegade province under Benacian Union influence – owing to the Protocols of Erudition – in spite of formally returning to Imperial sovereignty in 1685 AN.

The response of the Benacian Union would come in the 6th session of the Congress of Chryse in 1722 AN. This would see the establishment of the Vijayanagara Fleet Construction Yards, the creation of the Naval Construction Office to coordinate shipbuilding and procurement programmes, and the expansion of the Benacian commitment to the Manco Cápac-class cruiser of Nouvelle Alexandrie expand to an order for one-hundred and twenty hulls.

Nonetheless, by 1731 AN, by a combination of shipbuilding and the refurbishment of laid up Jingdaoese vessels, the Imperial Navy of Shireroth had overtaken the Maritime Forces of the Benacian Union on terms of total numbers and tonnage in regards to surface combatant and submarines.

With limited time, and constraints on domestic shipbuilders capacity, the Naval Construction Office in the Benacian Union focused its available resources onto an intensive fleet expansion programme built around the Rose-class corvette and diesel-electric U-boats.

Meanwhile, the Admiralty of the Benacian Union, under the leadership of Grand Admiral Harry Rex, sought to recover from the abortive debacle of the Western Expedition by bringing the piratical Sea-Reavers formally onto the establishment of the Maritime Forces. Four hundred armed trawlers would be made available to the Union-State by this expedient, albeit at the humiliating cost of the crews on another three hundred turning pirate and fleeing to join the Confederacy of the Dispossessed.

Fleet balance, 1731

Vessel type	Maritime Forces	Imperial Navy
Aircraft carrier	1	6
Amphibious landing platform/dock	13	5
Battleship	0	5
Battlecruiser	0	6
Cruiser	1	0
Destroyer	7	68
Frigate	76	90
Corvette	63	13
Patrol/fast attack	181	175
Auxiliary vessel	440	4
Attack submarine	32	50
Ballistic missile submarine	0	8

Overall, by 1731 AN, Shireroth appeared to have gained a meaningful naval superiority in major surface and submarine warfare capabilities compared to the Maritime Forces of the Benacian Union. However, the Benacians still retained some niche advantages in certain ship classes and auxiliary forces that could complement their fleet in coastal operations.

The naval arms race heavily favoured Shireroth's position by this point, likely providing a powerful deterrent against Benacian forces, especially in blue-water naval operations in the open seas and major waterways. The Union-State meanwhile became more focused on asymmetric tactics and coastal defences to mitigate Shireroth's growing conventional naval power.