Why expeditionary navies operate their own jets

Why do modern navies need jets, and why not leave them to the air force?

Jets provide long-range outer defense and strike, while naval control ensures aviation personnel and promotions remain integrated with fleet requirements.

Aircraft push interception and attack farther from the ships they protect, adding range to a layered fleet system. They can provide both an outer defensive screen and a longer-reaching strike layer. Keeping naval aviation inside the navy also shapes training, promotion, and command experience around maritime requirements. When another service controls those careers, it may reward skills that fit air-force priorities rather than the needs of carrier and fleet operations.