What can current ship-procurement processes learn from earlier preparations for war?
Short answerMaintain strategic aims across political changes and fund capability in advance, allowing procurement to continue without repeatedly rebuilding its justification.
NotesThe comparison with 1937 favours allowing the armed forces to proceed with procuring ships, aircraft and equipment once strategic aims have been settled. Repeated changes to a programme's justification make procurement harder whenever governments or legislatures change. France is offered as an example of maintaining broad agreement on strategic aims across political parties. Such agreement gives a programme a continuing case when it faces resistance from the treasury. Judging defence expenditure through financial returns over a relatively short period misses the value of having a trained and equipped force ready when an emergency occurs. Recruiting, training and equipping that force cannot begin at the moment it is needed.