Air reconnaissance freed cruisers but exposed the carriers

Frobisher was put out of action while confirming an air report that had already located the enemy battle fleet. The exercise report asked whether cruisers could instead attack carriers, dominate the area ahead of the fleet, support friendly carriers, or strike destroyer flotillas. This new freedom also revealed that the destroyers near a carrier were often plane guards rather than a security screen capable of stopping hostile cruisers. The lesson anticipated the danger later demonstrated by the wartime losses of Courageous and Glorious when operational circumstances left them inadequately protected. MZ also criticized the dispersal of surface and aerial torpedo attacks across too many objectives.