Indian Ocean raid
In World War II a Fleet Air Arm airfield was established at Mackinnon Road after the British Eastern Fleet retreated to Mombasa following the Indian Ocean raid. Airfields at Voi and Port Reitz Airport were also used to disperse the fleet's carrier aircraft in case of attack by the aircraft carriers of the Imperial Japanese Navy. These airfields were administered by the Royal Navy shore establishment "HMS Kipanga II" ("Kipanga" is Swahili language for "goshawk").