While the Royal Navy of the British Empire was distracted by the Dunkirk evacuation operation, the German High Seas Fleet was wholeheartedly focused on the waters northeast of the British Isles - the North Sea.
This is the only way for the German Navy to enter the Atlantic Ocean, and it has always been the key maritime defense line for the British Navy to blockade Germany. However, as of today, the British Home Fleet has been knocked out of a squadron in Norway, and it has also been used for Dunkirk.
A squadron was formed. Correspondingly, the British Royal Navy's North Sea blockade was weaker than ever before.
However, it is said that it is weak. At this moment, the British navy still has a core force of 4 large aircraft carriers and 6 battleships. Coupled with the huge escort fleet of the British Empire, this fleet can almost be regarded as a behemoth.
A super powerful fleet.
At Narvik Ridge in Norway, they encountered a sudden attack by the First Fleet of the German High Seas Fleet, which was far more powerful than themselves, and suffered a small defeat. But now, if Lütjens' First Fleet still dares to collide, they will
The ending may not be so easy.
Through the spy network planted in Norway, the British naval commanders had actually learned that the German High Seas Fleet was going to join forces with the Norwegian fleet to launch a surprise attack on the North Sea. However, they did not become trembling because of this. On the contrary, they were extremely happy and relaxed.
Needless to say, the Norwegian fleet is just a group of outdated cannon fodder warships. The British Navy only needs a destroyer fleet to annihilate them all.
As for the German High Seas Fleet, it can be deduced from the Narvik battle report that there are only two more aircraft carriers. This can also be seen from the propaganda reports obtained by the German Social Work newspaper. Therefore, the British Navy
Commanders have always believed that the German High Seas Fleet, which only had two aircraft carriers, although it did have some strength, was far from powerful enough to make the British Empire fearful and worried.
You know, 15 of their battleships and battlecruisers were sunk in Scapa Flow 20 years ago. That was a total of 15 ships!
From a common sense point of view, no matter how rapidly the German navy develops, they will not have too many battleships now. After all, their naval expansion is almost from scratch, and their financial resources are simply not worth mentioning.
Such a nouveau riche can also fight in the Norwegian naval battle where the big bully the small. If they really encounter the main force of the British Royal Navy, they will still lose!
So, after some discussions, the British Empire's Admiralty made a confident battle plan. They set up an encirclement in western Norway, deployed destroyers and cruisers with superior speed on the periphery, and placed battleships and
The slightly slower heavy cruisers were cruising in the inner circle, while the aircraft carriers stayed far to the west and farther behind to ensure safety.
They are confident that once the German fleet is discovered and entangled by the outer patrol formation, the capital ships in the inner circle will quickly rush over in a straight radius and sink the so-called German capital ships. As for the ones they left further behind,
Four aircraft carriers are just an extra layer of insurance.
It has to be said that these British Royal Navy generals indeed calculated very carefully.
Because Germany's new-class destroyers, in addition to enhanced air defense and anti-submarine capabilities, have naval combat firepower that is only equivalent to that of Britain's large gunboats. Germany's cruisers are only slightly stronger than British destroyers. As for Germany's new battleships, their quality is not inferior at all.
In the UK, the number is embarrassingly rare.
As a result, the German navy's close combat capabilities were completely incomparable with those of the British veterans who were good at playing naval guns. As soon as a British warship got close, they really had no choice but to turn around and run away.
It's just that the British Admiralty made a miscalculation. The German High Seas Fleet had not the two large aircraft carriers publicly advertised by the Socialist Newspaper, but a full six more than during the Norwegian Sea War!
In other words, although the German High Seas Fleet is a novice in terms of close combat capabilities, its long-range offensive capabilities and long-range defense capabilities are first-rate. Theoretically speaking, the German Navy's combat mode is already a whole generation more advanced than the British Navy.
It's just that the British themselves haven't realized it yet.
"Report!" A German staff officer quickly walked to the command podium where Lütjens was sitting, and handed a document in his hand to Lütjens, who was standing with his hands behind his back: "Deputy Commander! This is General Dönitz's submarine force.
The intelligence just collected. The British fleet has been fully deployed in the North Sea. Their large number of patrol fleets are traveling at high speed in an area about 40 kilometers away from us. In addition, the British submarine force discovered
The number of patrol formations has reached 4."
"Oh?!" After hearing the staff report, Lütjens raised his eyebrows and reached out to take the document.
In less than a minute, Lütjens finished reading the contents of the document. However, he did not speak immediately. Instead, he dragged his chin and thought over and over again.
About 3 minutes later, Lütjens took a deep breath, and then said to the staff: "Send the order, prepare for first-level combat. Immediately send out all reconnaissance planes to survey the nearby waters. In addition, notify the captains of each ship to arrive within ten minutes."
Go to the headquarters of the flagship 'Tirpitz' for a meeting."
"Yes!" The staff officer immediately stood at attention and saluted, and then prepared to turn around and leave.
"Wait a minute," Lütjens called to the staff officer who was walking out: "The fleet has canceled radio silence. Be sure to contact me before the meeting, the Second Squadron of the High Seas Fleet, and ask where they are now."
Compared with Lütjens's first fleet, Redl's second fleet is larger in scale and more powerful. If Lütjens's first fleet is a collection of purely German warships, it strives for excellence.
With aircraft carriers, Redl's fleet was mixed with more German warships than Lütjens, in addition to a large number of captured warships, and coordinated with the main force of the High Seas Fleet of the Norwegian Allied Fleet.
Although Redel is commanding the Second Squadron, if calculated according to the standards of the First Squadron, his Second Fleet is said to be a squadron, but actually has the strength of about three First Squadrons. And if
Calculated purely based on the number of battleships, this multiple will be even greater!
Therefore, Redel's Second Fleet is the most powerful force of the High Seas Fleet.
"Yes! Deputy Commander!" The staff officer stood at attention and saluted again, then quickly turned and left.
Lütjens turned around and glanced at his first officer: "Go and pass my order and let our warship carrying the radar start up. We can also take this opportunity to almost test the working condition of this batch of new equipment."