To avoid the political problem of scrapping new cruisers as well as the aircraft carriers, the Labour Government elected in October 1964 decided to retain large ships for command and flagship roles and accepted the RN and MoD argument that three "Tiger" cruisers would in some way replace the anti-submarine warfare role provided in the past provided by aircraft carriers; in theory providing twelve dipping sonar- and torpedo- equipped helicopters (4 x 3) on a 30 knot hull with considerable self-defence capability. At the time the Royal Navy was mostly concentrated on east of Suez operations and the anti-submarine deterrent role was chiefly to counter slow Indonesian and Chinese diesel-powered submarines. In theory even one "Tiger" might be available to threaten nuclear depth charge use and free space on aircraft carriers like "Hermes" and "Victorious" for strike and air combat aircraft. However, major exercises conducted in 1965 with modernised WWII-era cruisers like the and HMNZS "Royalist" suggested they were not suitable platforms for tracking modern submarines.