The Japanese would probably bring carriers and the four Kongo-class ships south, making the first successful strike critical. British fighter doctrine directs pilots past the glory of dogfighting and toward breaking up torpedo and dive-bomber formations before they reach the fleet. Radar direction and heavy anti-aircraft fire then confront attackers whose timing and cohesion have already been disrupted. A carrier coordinating its own combat air patrol could also hear and direct Allied land-based fighters arriving from Singapore. Fleet air defence aims to spoil an attack as well as destroy aircraft. Even with those defences, an early carrier battle could inflict losses on both sides and consume substantial Japanese resources.
Notable Point · 1:04:04-1:08:30
Layered carrier air defence aims to break up the strike
Radar-directed fighters, heavy anti-aircraft fire, and carrier control of land-based aircraft make disruption as important as shooting attackers down.