AA Doctring

Sheet 1. p. 15 translation of RESEARCH ON MOBILE FORCE TACTICS issued by Yokosuka Kokutai in 1943. The drawing at bottom shows a carrier with circular screen of 6 destroyers. At top is a three ship division each with its own screen. Two notes: It seems unlikely that by this time they would have enough destroyers to provide this kind of coverage and it is interesting that CV3 is to handle CAP, recce, etc. Both navies explored this idea but neither carried through on it. the drawings are redrawn from the original.

Sheets2-6 pages from translation of MOBILE FORCE DOCTRINE, 1944. A number of items are of interest. First those familiar with the USN /NATO format for setting up acreens will first be struck by the fact that the Japanese had individual drawings for each combination of ships(rather than the maneuverboard format), thus a formation of one carrier and six screening ships can be formation ZA or ZB. Formation ZK is a generic format and has 37 stations; one in the center and 36 stations at 10 degrees apart. ZL , ZM and ZN are compound formations. They used this type format at Leyte. Of interest here is the two circles; one for 2km radius(R) and one for 3km(T). Only one station on each bearing can be occupied in the text. The text at the bottom of p. 32 gives some flaghoist examples(a reason for my interest in the recent postings about IJN flags). The table on p. 33 shows standard distances and how they can varied.

Sheets 7-10 from USF 10A CURRENT TACTICAL ORDERS AND DOCTRINE Feb. 1944 show two USN carrier task force/group AA formations(all of the drawings are AA formations). 4V is a small task group. The ships would be spaced evenly regardless of number around the 2000 yard circle with the CLAA at 1000 yards. 5V is a three carrier formation. There is one BB, one CA, 2 CLs and 12 DDs. The station numbers represent the circle and relative bearing to the guide(i.e. 3030=3000 yards bearing 030Relative)