Cunningham challenges wartime ship designs

Cunningham judged new ships by whether they would deliver useful combat power in time. Vanguard, laid down before the later course of the war was clear, seemed likely to consume labour and money without reaching the Far East before the fighting ended. He also believed large radar-heavy destroyers sacrificed guns for endurance and sensors, leaving them able to detect threats they could not adequately engage. Cunningham recalled losing an earlier argument with Henderson over that design direction. Their disagreement shows how experienced officers could value the same tradeoffs differently. Cunningham secured a review of cruiser designs, but destroyer construction was too advanced for major alteration. He still conceded that long-range destroyers suited the outer anti-aircraft and anti-submarine screen for Pacific carrier forces. His criticism therefore turned on mission fit.