The Eastern Fleet's fast group centred on Warspite, Formidable, and Indomitable, but it faced a Japanese force with five carriers and four battleships. Somerville's plan relied on night torpedo-bomber operations, where Fleet Air Arm skill could offset the daylight advantage of the larger Japanese carrier force. Miscommunicated and misdirected information prevented the intended interception from becoming a strike. Somerville then avoided a direct daylight engagement because numerical odds outweighed his confidence in British fighters and radar crews. He could also withdraw because the Japanese force was operating at the far end of its logistical reach and could not remain indefinitely.
Chapter · 51:49-55:09
Warspite and the outmatched Eastern Fleet
As Somerville's flagship in the Indian Ocean, Warspite supported a carrier force that sought a night attack rather than a daylight fight with Japan.