If carrier construction had continued without interruption, an additional carrier could have been available for Force Z. Its aircraft could break up incoming strikes and improve the chances of the two capital ships surviving. A surviving force under Admiral Phillips could then give other Allied units time to assemble around it. Japan could send its carrier force south, but redirecting it after Pearl Harbor would take time while American carrier operations also demanded attention. Continued operations from Singapore would depend on retaining the base, and naval support for the land campaign could affect that outcome.
Notable Point · 2:59:24-3:01:23
A carrier for Force Z
A counterfactual carrier accompanying Force Z could provide air cover and delay Japanese operations while other Allied forces assembled.