The Khmer navy had been hamstrung by only having one aircraft carrier to do everything. One of the important jobs was to train the generations of pilots required, including the pilots for the squadrons that would be required for the Hierax class. This problem had been identified early, but getting the funds for a 'training' carrier were hard to come by. A cruiser hull was added to the 1929 appropriations and this was to be built up as the fleets training carrier.
The Chaisen was widely criticised for its small aircraft carrying capacity. The Navy however, loved it. It would allow all three of its attack carriers to do their primary role, find and destroy the enemy. The Chaisen would prove its worth as an escort to the tankers running from Sumatra to the major ports of the Empire with fuel. While doing that task it could still be used as the training carrier. The trainees would just have to find the Chaisen first before they could practice their take-offs and landings.
The main upgrades to the Chaisen before Khmer got dragged into WW2 were the addition of two quad 40mm, one before and one aft of the bridge superstructure. Predictors were mounted on the bridge shortly after the mountings. Air search radar was fitted and fire control radar was fitted to the 4" director. But best of all were the replacement of its old air wing with 9 L298 and 6 D520 aircraft. That was it, the Chaisen was ready to go to war!
