The Austro-Hungarian Empire Navy ranked among the foremost navies in the world. In terms of Capital Ship numbers, it was second only to Germany. Of course, in terms of combat power, it likely ranked behind both Germany and the United States. Although the United States Navy had fewer Capital Ships than the Austro-Hungarian Empire Navy, its Battleships were all formidable Capital Ships.
The United States Navy's Pennsylvania-class Battleships carried twelve 45-caliber 356mm Main Guns; its New Mexico-class and Tennessee-class Battleships carried twelve 50-caliber 356mm Main Guns, while the Colorado-class Battleships carried eight 45-caliber 406mm Main Guns.
The largest-caliber main guns on Austro-Hungarian Empire Navy Battleships were merely the 45-caliber 350mm main guns of the Austro-Hungarian Monarch-class. In terms of performance, they were even inferior to the 50-caliber 343mm Main Guns carried by the Capital Ships purchased from Germany. Naturally, this left the Austro-Hungarian Empire Navy's true combat strength far inferior to that of the United States Navy. The only navy capable of keeping the United States Navy beneath it was undoubtedly the German Navy.
However, that did not stop the Austro-Hungarian Empire Navy from reigning supreme in the little pond that was the Mediterranean Sea. Whether it was the German Navy Mediterranean Fleet or the Turkish Navy, neither possessed anywhere near as many Capital Ships as the Austro-Hungarian Empire Navy. Even if every Capital Ship in the German Navy Mediterranean Fleet was stronger than those of the Austro-Hungarian Empire Navy, the Austro-Hungarian Empire Navy had more than twice as many Capital Ships, as well as other medium and small warships. Therefore, if they truly came to blows, the German Navy Mediterranean Fleet would gain no advantage and might even suffer heavy losses.
This had led the German Navy Mediterranean Fleet to remain restrained until now, avoiding conflict with the increasingly