The Admiralty treats air work as an integral naval function

The Admiralty argued that reconnaissance and spotting were naval functions as integral to the fleet as gunnery, torpedoes, or wireless communication. The issue was responsibility as much as institutional pride: commanders accountable for the fleet's survival wanted authority over the aviation on which it increasingly depended. Aviators belonging to another service followed different traditions and promotion structures, while fleet commanders remained responsible for the outcome. Divided control also complicated requirement-setting and direct communication between operational users and aircraft firms. Henderson sometimes bypassed the formal chain, accelerating development but intensifying friction with the Air Ministry. Returning control aligned operational accountability with the personnel and procurement decisions needed to make the doctrine work.