During the

Pacific War The Pacific War, sometimes called the Asia–Pacific War, was the theater of World War II that was fought in Asia, the Pacific Ocean, the Indian Ocean, and Oceania. It was geographically the largest theater of the war, including the vast ...

of 1941–1945, the

Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service The was the Naval aviation, air arm of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN). The organization was responsible for the operation of naval aircraft and the conduct of aerial warfare in the Pacific War. The Japanese military acquired their first air ...

disposed of an increasing number of "air fleets" - airborne combat units attached to the Navy. The 1st Air Fleet was the primary

carrier Carrier may refer to: Entertainment * ''Carrier'' (album), a 2013 album by The Dodos * ''Carrier'' (board game), a South Pacific World War II board game * ''Carrier'' (TV series), a ten-part documentary miniseries that aired on PBS in April 20 ...

unit, while other Air Fleets were for defence, training or supporting naval operations in particular theatres.

1st Air Fleet

The formed the primary carrier fleet of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN), a grouping of naval aircraft and aircraft carriers that at the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor, was the world's largest aircraft carrier fleet. As losses mounted, the carriers were removed and the 1st Air Fleet was transformed into a land based Naval aviation force forward based on islands and land masses along the perimeter of the Japanese controlled sphere.

2nd Air Fleet

The was organized late in the War to defend the National Defence Zone along with 1st Air Fleet. Their area of responsibility was based in the Kyūshū-Okinawa-Formosa district. In October 1944 Vice admiral Shigeru Fukudome moved his HQ from Taiwan to Manila. There he was reinforced and charged with a share of the air defense of the Philippines. However, most of the airplanes and pilots disappeared in November 1944 as a result of fighting against the Halsey Fleet from the front during the Philippines campaign. Soon thereafter, in Jan 1945, the 2nd Air Fleet was dissolved and merged into the 1st Air Fleet.

3rd Air Fleet

The was in charge of air defense of Eastern Japan.

5th Air Fleet

The was in charge of the air defense of Western Japan.

10th Air Fleet

The was a training unit.

11th Air Fleet

The was a grouping of naval aviation and surface units based in Formosa that moved through the Philippines and New Guinea then supported the

Solomon Islands campaign The Solomon Islands campaign was a major campaign of the Pacific War of World War II. The campaign began with Japanese landings and occupation of several areas in the British Solomon Islands and Bougainville, in the Territory of New Guinea, du ...

during the Japanese advance at the start of the war. Heavily engaged in the

Guadalcanal Campaign The Guadalcanal campaign, also known as the Battle of Guadalcanal and codenamed Operation Watchtower by American forces, was a military campaign fought between 7 August 1942 and 9 February 1943 on and around the island of Guadalcanal in th ...

. From the end of 1942 they provided air cover to the

Southeast Area Fleet The was a fleet of the Imperial Japanese Navy established during World War II. History The Southeast Area Fleet was an operational command of the Imperial Japanese Navy combining the remaining surface elements of the IJN 8th Fleet with the IJ ...

12th Air Fleet

The was in charge of air cover for the

Northeast Area Fleet The was a fleet of the Imperial Japanese Navy established during World War II. History The Northeast Area Fleet was a short-lived operational headquarters of the Imperial Japanese Navy, established on August 5, 1943. As United States Navy force ...

13th Air Fleet

The was in charge of air cover for the

Southwest Area Fleet The was a fleet of the Imperial Japanese Navy established during World War II. History The Southwest Area Fleet was an operational command of the Imperial Japanese Navy established on April 10, 1942 to coordinate naval, air, and ground forces f ...

14th Air Fleet

The was in charge of air cover for the

Central Pacific Area Pacific Ocean Areas was a major Allied military command in the Pacific Ocean theater of World War II. It was one of four major Allied commands during the Pacific War, and one of three United States commands in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater. Admi ...

Footnotes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Japanese Navy Air Service Air Service Air Service Air Service Air Fleets