Why the Admiralty depended on Air Ministry advice

The Admiralty depended on the Air Ministry to explain what aviation technology could deliver, translate naval wishes into specifications, and approach manufacturers. Without its own aeronautical engineering staff and direct industry contacts, the Navy had limited means of checking the options presented to it. The criticism of conservative naval requirements therefore turns on how well informed the customer could be. Radial engines appealed because they were described as reliable and easy to maintain. More powerful liquid-cooled engines offered another route, but their maintenance burden encouraged a later return toward radials. Successive engine choices reflected changing information and operating priorities.