Exercise M1 tested concentrated carrier torpedo strikes

M1 brought together Blackburn Dart torpedo bombers, Fairey IIIF and IIID reconnaissance aircraft, Fairey Flycatcher fighters, and a Blackburn Bison alongside carriers with different normal speeds. Flying operations required the carriers to accelerate to about twenty-five knots, making their movement part of the tactical problem. The report endorsed the earliest possible warning of hostile surface forces and considered dedicated aircraft for that purpose. It also made senior officers across the fleet responsible for knowing the carriers' position and heading off enemy forces trying to work around the battle line. Air fighting in MZ encouraged further experiments with fighter patrols over the fleet, so carrier defense was becoming a combined responsibility rather than a matter for the carrier alone.