aw ks ▁from ▁Melbourne ▁sister ▁ship ▁. ▁The ▁tri als ▁conducted ▁at ▁Sub ic ▁Bay ▁went ▁well , ▁and ▁confirmed ▁that ▁Melbourne ▁would ▁need ▁only ▁minor ▁modifications ▁to ▁safely ▁operate ▁both ▁types ▁of ▁aircraft . ▁ ▁In ▁late ▁ 1 9 6 4 ▁the ▁R AN ▁sought ▁the ▁Government ' s ▁appro val ▁to ▁upgrade ▁Melbourne ▁and ▁purchase ▁a ▁force ▁of ▁ 1 8 ▁Sky h aw ks ▁and ▁ 1 6 ▁Track ers . ▁The ▁Sky h aw ks ▁were ▁intended ▁to ▁be ▁used ▁to ▁provide ▁air ▁defence ▁for ▁the ▁fleet ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁to ▁attack ▁war ships ▁and ▁targets ▁on ▁land . ▁While ▁the ▁Naval ▁Board ▁saw ▁mar itime ▁strike ▁as ▁being ▁a ▁logical ▁task ▁for ▁the ▁F AA , ▁the ▁RA AF ▁argued ▁that ▁the ▁ 2 4 ▁General ▁Dynam ics ▁F - 1 1 1 C ▁aircraft ▁it ▁had ▁ordered ▁would ▁be ▁more ▁effective ▁in ▁this ▁role . ▁Cab inet ▁agreed ▁to ▁the ▁proposal ▁to ▁modern ise ▁the ▁car rier ▁and ▁ac quire ▁Track ers ▁in ▁November ▁ 1 9 6 4 , ▁but ▁delayed ▁a ▁decision ▁on ▁the ▁Sky h aw ks ▁at ▁that ▁time . ▁Following ▁further ▁lo bb ying ▁and ▁staff ▁work ▁by ▁the ▁Navy , ▁the ▁Government ▁eventually ▁agreed ▁to ▁purchase ▁ten ▁Sky h aw ks ▁in ▁early ▁ 1 9 6 5 ▁for ▁a ▁cost ▁of ▁£ 9 . 2 ▁million . ▁This ▁order ▁compr ised ▁eight ▁single - se at ▁f ighter ▁aircraft ▁and ▁a ▁pair ▁of ▁two - se at ▁T A