How rising warship costs pressed Germany's naval budget

Britain's pursuit of more capable warships raised the price of keeping pace with the Royal Navy. Germany could afford that competition at a national level, but its navy faced a political ceiling imposed by the army's spending priorities. In this interpretation, the Queen Elizabeth class pushed the competition to that ceiling. The army would resist further naval increases once they encroached on its own resources. Winning the naval race therefore meant reaching a point at which the rival navy could no longer secure political support to continue.