The alternate Anglo-American fleet's scale rules out treating it as an American-led attachment. Tom Phillips is presented as a reliable choice for the historical two-capital-ship Force Z, but this hypothetical fleet would require a more senior command structure. A British force built around four carriers and five fast capital ships would justify a full admiral, with James Somerville or Andrew Cunningham suggested as plausible choices. The smaller American carrier contribution would probably supply the deputy commander while retaining an important operational role. The proposal turns force allocation into a problem of coalition hierarchy, communications, and command responsibility as well as ship numbers.
Notable Point · 1:27:13-1:30:06
A major Far Eastern fleet requires senior combined command
Four British carriers and five fast capital ships would make this a fleet-level coalition deployment, probably led by a senior Royal Navy admiral with an American deputy.