The German Navy's Blücher-class battlecruisers and Derfflinger-class battlecruisers were faster and had rushed ahead. The Kaiser-class battleships and Nassau-class battleships, however, had fallen behind. Still, these Capital Ships were protected by cruisers and destroyers, and their anti-aircraft firepower was exceptionally fierce. Even if they came under attack from German Navy carrier-based aircraft, they would not necessarily be sunk.
"Report, sir! Dozens of aircraft have been spotted to the southeast!" a radar operator aboard the battleship König reported.
"Those should be the carrier-based aircraft escorting us. I'll report to the Commander at once," the officer said.
Just then, the radar operator reported that dozens more aircraft had appeared. After confirmation, they were found to be fighters taking off from Ponape Island.
The first wave of fighters consisted of carrier-based BF-109 fighters launched from the four aircraft carriers of the German Navy Pacific Fleet: four squadrons, forty-eight aircraft in total. The second wave consisted of BF-109 fighters launched from Ponape Island: two groups, seventy-two aircraft in total. The mission of these 120 BF-109 fighters was to escort the German Navy battleship formation and ensure its safe return.
In the clash between Capital Ships, the German Navy battleship formation had scored a major victory. The Pacific Fleet's battleship formation had lost one battleship and one battlecruiser sunk, while another battleship had been heavily damaged. Yet they had sunk four Island Nation battleships and severely damaged another. Such results were already extremely impressive. Including the two battleships sunk by the Indian Ocean Fleet's battleship formation, the Island Nation Navy's Capital Ship Squadron had suffered devastating losses. If the three Amagi-class battleships sunk by carrier-based aircraft and the heavily damaged Amagi-class battlecruiser were counted as well, the Island Nation Navy now had only five Capital Ships still fit for use. Even if the battleship Kaga