Success was measured by disrupted weapon delivery as well as aircraft kills. Long-range fighters would break up a formation, heavy and medium AA would divide it further, and light weapons would confront the remaining attackers at close range. This approach contrasted with the Air Ministry faction that treated the bomber as essentially unstoppable and saw less value in defensive fighters. Naval commanders could not accept that premise because a successful bomb or torpedo release directly endangered the fleet. If disruption prevented accurate weapon delivery, the layered defense had succeeded even when some attackers escaped.
Notable Point · 28:31-30:35
Layered air defense aims to spoil the attack
Fighters and successive bands of heavy, medium, and light anti-aircraft fire are meant to fragment strikes before weapon release.