Why Sweden needed cruisers for reach beyond the Baltic

Why did Sweden pursue cruisers rather than further improving the Sverige class?

Cruisers supplied independent reach beyond the Baltic, while a much larger step beyond Sverige would effectively lead toward a carrier.

The Sverige class suited a defensive Baltic fleet, especially one expected to operate beneath allied air power. A cruiser answered a different need by giving Sweden a ship able to operate independently at greater distance. Substantially extending the coastal-battleship concept would eventually point toward an aircraft carrier, a level of capability Sweden did not consider necessary for Baltic defence. A navy may add a new type because its mission changes rather than because the older type is defective.