The Royal Navy and Royal Air Force used incompatible reporting conventions in the Far East. Mediterranean and Home Fleet practice distinguished between unavailable fighters, unavailable bombers, and no aircraft at all. Far East staff could report "no air support" when bombers were unavailable even though fighters remained ready. Naval officers trained in the other system understood the same words to mean that no aircraft could help them. Three additional months might allow the commands to agree on terminology and train together before Force Z sails.
Notable Point · 30:04-31:15
How "no air support" concealed available fighters
Royal Navy officers heard "no aircraft at all," while Far East RAF staff could use "no air support" to mean only that no bombers were available.