The Eastern Fleet nearly tested night carrier doctrine

The Royal Navy faced German and Italian forces without operational aircraft carriers in the European theater, limiting opportunities for a carrier battle. Japan's Indian Ocean raid presented a different possibility. A coordinate-reading error prevented the intended night attack by Somerville's Eastern Fleet from finding the Japanese force. A successful encounter would have tested established British night-strike doctrine against an enemy carrier fleet. Any subsequent Japanese response would have faced British fighter direction and carrier defense developed through two years of Mediterranean operations. The outcome would depend partly on how many Japanese carriers remained effective after the night attacks.