Why procurement churn sacrifices the cheapest ships

British defence procurement repeatedly changes direction just as an established program should begin delivering its cheapest units. The design work, facilities, tooling, and learning curve have already been paid for, yet later batches are cancelled in favor of a new project and headline. That restarts development and industrial setup instead of collecting the savings from production continuity. In this interpretation, short political attention explains the pattern better than a hidden plan to disarm the country. Continuing a competent line may save more than pursuing another ideal design.