Exceptional speed and internal capacity made the Abdiels attractive for jobs far beyond mine warfare. They could carry priority cargo, scout, or support command work, so urgent demands repeatedly competed for the small class. The hull is also proposed as a possible emergency basis for a fast anti-aircraft cruiser if a Pacific war revealed a need for more fleet air defence. Four-inch guns would have traded the Dido class's heavier 5.25-inch battery for a design that might be produced quickly at about 3,500 tons. This remains an interpretation of what the Royal Navy may have kept in mind, rather than a stated conversion programme.
Chapter · 15:25-17:30
Why the Navy kept finding other jobs for Abdiels
Speed made the minelayers useful as high-priority transports, reconnaissance platforms, and a possible basis for a rapid anti-aircraft-cruiser programme.