In a system that poorly compensates labor, doing as little new work and accepting as little risk as possible can become a rational choice. Outside that setting, conservative redesign makes the most sense when cancelled ships or earlier classes have already supplied usable components. Incremental naval design can reflect institutional incentives as much as engineering preference.
Notable Point · 42:38-42:54
Soviet incentives encouraged conservative redesign
A political-economy aside links Soviet design conservatism to incentives that rewarded minimal extra work and risk unless existing components were ready for reuse.