What if the Royal Navy persuaded a gun maker to produce pom-poms and medium naval artillery in Australia after the Munich crisis?
Short answerRegional air defense and refit capacity would improve, and Australia might build heavily armed screening cruisers while supporting more capable ships for Force Z.
NotesLocal pom-pom production after the Munich crisis would give Singapore and Australian-built ships, including the Bathurst class, more anti-aircraft weapons. Pom-poms count as medium anti-aircraft armament in this answer, whereas medium naval artillery means weapons around 4.5 or 4.7 inches. Adding 4.5-inch production could support regional refits and reduce the amount of heavy equipment shipped from Britain, making an earlier Renown-style reconstruction of Repulse a possibility. A proposed Australian cruiser would be about Dido's size, with four twin 4.5-inch BD mounts, octuple pom-poms in C and X positions, and quad mounts amidships. Such ships could provide substantial screening firepower for Force Z and later Allied carrier operations. These outcomes depend on the factory producing the larger guns as well as pom-poms and on the ships being ready in time.