Why the Didos were conceived for distant escort work

The original Dido concept assumed a conflict with Japan, where British fleets would operate far from their support infrastructure. Such ships could add escort numbers, anti-aircraft capability, and support for destroyers whose older V- and W-class types were less suitable for the theatre. They were conceived as force multipliers able to reinforce a screen when distant bases could not readily replace or support every destroyer. The design logic made sense in isolation, but the existence of much cheaper Tribal-class destroyers sharpened the question of whether the intermediate cruiser was the best answer.