Why battleship contracts attracted international corruption

What is a major example of a naval procurement scandal?

There is no single clear winner; Russian, Chinese, Greek, and Argentine battleship deals all show how large international contracts invited bribery and political influence.

The answer resists naming a single scandal because late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century naval purchasing produced so many candidates. Russian and Chinese procurement are described as especially compromised, while Greek efforts to acquire a German-built battleship add another competitive contract. Argentina is cited as a case where American payments influenced the choice of builder and the episode became openly acknowledged. Warships attracted corruption because contracts were large, technically opaque, international, and valuable enough to reward both officials and firms.