Could all four conversions be ready for September 1939?

How quickly could the rebuilt cruisers be commissioned?

The estimate is twelve to eighteen months. A January 1938 discovery and March start could put all four in service by September 1939.

The conversions are estimated to take twelve to eighteen months. Two or three could be handled together, and completing all four in parallel is considered feasible. Smaller yards offer possible capacity while much of the heavy naval work concerns battleships. On that basis, a January 1938 discovery followed by work beginning in March could produce four commissioned ships by September 1939.