Interwar US destroyer procurement involved repeated struggles to obtain funding. The ships sought in 1936 differed from those wanted in 1940. In this comparison, the earlier designs would have served the Navy less well than the later ones. Delayed funding therefore had a benefit: it prevented an earlier commitment to ships based on requirements that were about to change.
Notable Point · 59:49-1:00:29
US destroyer funding and changing requirements
The closing comparison argues that US destroyer funding delays had a benefit because the Navy's preferred designs changed between 1936 and 1940.