Takao-class ships carried large Type 93 torpedo loads, including reloads, while their design even contemplated depth-charge work. A full offensive fit could place 24 torpedoes aboard one cruiser, adding both striking power and vulnerability. Maya's refit removed an 8-inch turret, eliminated the reloads, and greatly expanded high-angle and light anti-aircraft armament. Her heavy anti-aircraft battery rose from four 120 mm guns to twelve 5-inch dual-purpose weapons, with many more Type 96 mounts as well. The conversion made practical sense for carrier-force air defence, but also shows how the original gun-and-torpedo emphasis had to be rebalanced.
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Takao modernisation: replacing a turret with air defence
Late-war reconstruction turned Maya toward an anti-aircraft role, revealing how the original cruiser balance had become obsolete.