An aircraft-fuel example does not transfer directly to fleet logistics. High-octane fuel could deliver decisive performance gains to fighters, but filling a battleship or aircraft carrier is an entirely different purchasing problem. Navies measure major fuel loads in tons, so even modest price differences become large budget and supply-chain burdens. They therefore tend to buy the least expensive fuel that still meets the machinery's needs. Fuel specification becomes a force-sustainment decision rather than a simple search for maximum performance.
Notable Point · 2:13:07-2:14:21
Why navies seek the cheapest workable fuel
A comparison with aviation fuel explains why the quantities consumed by warships make price and supply volume central naval requirements.