Building naval capability from the small ships upward

What should a state build first when creating a navy from nothing?

Start with smaller ships to build seamanship and experience, then progress to larger and more complex warships.

Building a navy from zero is an organisational problem before it is a technical one. The new force should build and operate smaller classes first, letting crews, maintainers, and commanders gain experience at sea. Moving straight to a large ship risks creating a complex asset before the institution can operate it safely or effectively.