Wartime production freezes earlier development choices

The closing argument returns to the failed five-inch programme and the long 4.5-inch development cycle, especially the difficulty of producing a workable upper-deck installation. War usually accelerates production and practical adaptation of technology already near readiness rather than creating complex systems anew. An existing 4.7-inch gun and mount therefore offer a plausible base for earlier standardization. The consequences accumulate through fewer repairs, greater carrier availability, a stronger Force Z, and possible changes in the Dutch East Indies. Every British advantage would force a Japanese or German response, so the later operational outcome remains unknowable.