Australia's war cabinet had approved new construction of a cruiser and destroyer for 6.5 million pounds on 4 April 1944, partly to replace the sunk HMAS "Sydney" and seriously damaged HMAS "Hobart". At Chequers on 18–21 May 1944 the Australian prime minister John Curtin agreed if an acceptable option of the transfer of new RN units, despite Royal Australian Air Force opposition and support for local shipyards building warships, and provided Royal Australian Navy (RAN) crew was available for HMS "Defence" and "Blake" as renamed RAN cruisers by October 1945, they would operate as escorts for British carrier groups in the Pacific war against Japan which was expected to continue to the end of 1946. The RAN ships would be re-armed with twin 5.25-inch gun turrets or triple 5.25-inch turrets; a 1942 design option for NZ and RAN cruisers.