Why Kimmel could not keep the whole fleet continuously at sea

Pearl Harbor lacked the tanker and support capacity needed to keep the entire fleet steaming continuously, while salt water and machinery use would sharply increase maintenance demands. Kimmel also needed access to headquarters and Washington's information flow. The removal of Admiral James Richardson and the decision to deny Kimmel the same intelligence access left the new commander assessing Japan with an incomplete picture. If Kimmel had been told that Kido Butai's location was unknown, exercises demonstrating Pearl Harbor's vulnerability and the recent example of Taranto would give him a strong reason to move the fleet. The counterfactual depends on Washington supplying both the warning and the resources needed for a sustained sortie.