Around 10:00 on 7 April, Task Groups 58.1 and 58.3 (TG 58.1 and 58.3) began launching almost 400 aircraft in several waves from eight carriers (TG 58.1: , , , ; TG 58.3 , , and ) that were located just east of Okinawa. The aircraft consisted of F6F Hellcat and F4U Corsair fighters, SB2C Helldiver dive bombers, and TBF Avenger torpedo bombers. After being informed of Mitscher's launches, Spruance agreed that the airstrikes could go ahead as planned. As a contingency, Spruance ordered Admiral Deyo to assemble a force of six fast battleships (, , , , , and ), together with seven cruisers (including the large cruisers and ) and 21 destroyers, and to prepare for a surface engagement with "Yamato" should the airstrikes prove unsuccessful.