Peacetime inefficiency can be wartime capacity

A production system optimized without slack stops when a critical component is delayed, while reserves and redundant capacity keep output moving. State ownership historically carried unused wartime capacity without adding a private profit margin, though it appeared less efficient in annual accounts. Paying a private supplier to preserve the same idle surge capacity also requires covering its profit margin, making the comparison less simple than annual efficiency figures suggest. Missiles, shells, and expendable drones illustrate why governments must plan for demand far beyond peacetime consumption and avoid relying on wartime purchases in a crowded market.