Prioritizing air superiority over the destruction of enemy ships, the majority of onboard aircraft were equipped with fighter planes according to this objective. Nevertheless, the disparity in power with the US military was significant, resulting in defeat in the naval aerial battle between the mobile fleets. Naturally, as a consequence, air superiority has been lost to the enemy.
In such a harsh situation, despite facing a powerful enemy and the confrontation, especially for the First Fleet with its four Yamato-class battleships, there was no sense of despair among the officers and soldiers. Not being able to use spotter planes was certainly painful. However, it could be compensated for with the performance of the ships and the skill of the personnel. Two and a half years have passed since the start of the war, and the fire control systems of the Yamato, Musashi, Shinano, and Kii have evolved significantly from their initial construction during the Battle of Brisbane. Even without spotter planes, there was a way to fight.
Two years ago, around the Battle of the Indian Ocean, the promised supply of the German battleships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau was nullified. Furthermore, Germany demanded the transfer of the captured British aircraft carriers Indomitable and Formidable, which the Second Fleet had managed to capture with great effort. Of course, the Imperial Navy was not so generous as to provide valuable armored carriers for free, and Germany, having broken its promise, intended to pay a proper price as consideration for its actions toward its allied nation. In the end, as compensation for transferring two cruisers and aircraft carriers each, the Imperial Navy proposed to Germany the supply of aircraft, machinery, as well as technological assistance such as fire control systems, electronic equipment, and synthetic oil. In response to this request, despite opposition from the German optical industry, Hitler, surprisingly scrupulous for a dictator, nearly fully agreed and responded to the Imperial Navy's proposal.
Currently, the technology provided by Germany has undoubtedly become an integral part of the Imperial Navy's vessels. During the repair of the damage suffered in the Battle of Brisbane, the four Yamato-class battleships, Yamato, Musashi, Shinano, and Kii, introduced radar for fire control that was obtained through German technological assistance. Additionally, optical instruments, including rangefinders, were replaced with superior German-made ones.
The rangefinder of the Yamato-class battleships achieves precision with a baseline length of 15,5 meters, but the quality of major parts, such as glass, is not particularly high. This is the same for other battleships, and the inferiority of optical technology was a weakness of Japanese battleships. Therefore, taking this opportunity, the Imperial Navy requested parts supply or technological assistance for rangefinders from Germany, which boasts the world's highest-level optical technology. Despite opposition from the German optical industry, which was wary of technology leakage, the convenience to the Imperial Navy was arranged with a unilateral decision from Hitler. This was the case for other battleships as well; including the Nagato-class, ten obsolete battleships underwent a renewal of fire control systems similar to the Yamato-class.
"German technology combined with Japanese technique is truly like a match made in heaven."
Many gunners of the Imperial Navy thought this way, and it was proven in the recent anti-air combat. Against over 100 indiscriminate torpedo-dropping dive bombers attacking the First Fleet, the vessels, including the Yamato, repelled them with nearly 300 high-angle guns and over 1.500 barrels, without a single ship suffering damage. The factors contributing to this success included the addition of as many anti-aircraft weapons as possible and thorough anti-aircraft shooting training for the personnel. Alongside this, the benefits of the excellent German-made fire control devices were significant.
German weapons are reliable. This was proven in the recent anti-air combat. And the skills of the Japanese officers and soldiers were also equally excellent.
Emboldened by this fact, the officers and soldiers, including the First Fleet commander, were not shaken even in the current situation where air superiority had been lost. The American fleet is already coming into view. This formidable opponent with a history that pushed the former Combined Fleet to the brink of defeat in the Battle of Brisbane was coming with new battleships. The humiliation of having to retreat from the pursuit of the American battleship fleet in the Battle of Brisbane still smoldered among the gunnery faction of the Imperial Navy, especially within the First Fleet.
"Let's settle the debt from that time."
Admiral Sawamoto, who oversees the 1st Battleship Division, the First Fleet, and the 1st Mobile Fleet, spun his words deliberately and slowly, aiming to calm the officers and soldiers. The headquarters staff, including the chief of staff, responded strongly to his words.
The battle between Japanese and American state-of-the-art battleships is about to begin.