Why Tiger kept a rapid-fire six-inch gun

Should the Royal Navy have developed a rapid-fire 5.25-inch gun instead of Tiger's automatic six-inch weapon?

The six-inch gun was preferred because it combined stronger anti-ship and shore-bombardment performance with a useful high-angle air-defense role.

The six-inch gun offered more value against ships and land targets while still promising useful high-angle air defense when fully automatic. A lighter 5.25-inch weapon might have reduced weight, but it would also have weakened shore-bombardment and anti-ship effects. Because Tiger carried so few main-gun barrels, each automatic mounting had to justify its place across several missions. That broader offensive utility made the six-inch caliber worth retaining despite the appeal of a lighter weapon.