Germany's continental position made the army indispensable, while the Luftwaffe added another powerful claimant on money and materials. Technical competence did not guarantee production capacity: German designers and yards could create sophisticated ships, but they still needed infrastructure, supplies, and time to produce the whole program. German commissioning practice could also make ships appear available before testing and completion were finished. Of the 230 vessels associated with the 1948 plan, only 82 were built, and several predated Plan Z itself.
Notable Point · 8:13-11:27
Why the German navy remained a lower priority
Germany possessed the engineering skill to design warships, but its army and air force took priority over naval infrastructure, materials, and rapid construction.