Lion and Indefatigable: comparing complete procurement costs

The quoted £1.5-1.6 million Indefatigable figure covered shipbuilding without the weapons bill. The Lion figures supplied to the British government included that equipment. The criticism is that presenting these different totals to politicians made Indefatigable appear disproportionately cheap. Separate weapons accounting was standard practice in the period, but a fair comparison required complete costs on both sides. On that basis, the price gap narrowed enough for Lion's additional capability to become central to the decision.