Why Germany did not adopt its 5-inch dual-purpose gun sooner

Should Germany have adopted the 5-inch/45 dual-purpose gun sooner, and why did it not?

It would have been useful, but limited resources, development capacity, and a preference for specialized guns made earlier adoption unlikely.

Obtaining a weapon earlier requires more than recognizing its usefulness: the navy must fund it, assign people to test it, and provide ships able to carry it. German shipbuilding already competed for limited money, personnel, and design attention. German designers also sought the best separate anti-surface and anti-aircraft guns rather than accepting the compromises of a good dual-purpose system. The weapon could improve individual engagements without erasing the Royal Navy's larger advantage in guns and hulls.