Orion retained the class's eight six-inch guns while her four-inch battery and close-range armament were improved. Removing the catapult created space for pom-poms and other anti-aircraft fittings. These changes came through repeated wartime upgrades rather than one definitive refit. The refits also show a wider Leander strength: the hull could accept substantial additions as air defence requirements grew. The Leanders, Arethusas, and Towns had enough margin to take new equipment without first surrendering as much useful gear as more crowded contemporary cruisers.
Notable Point · 55:18-56:09
HMS Orion and wartime air-defence modernisation
Orion's refits show how the Leander hull could trade its aircraft gear for stronger close-range anti-aircraft weapons.