Force Z was a British naval squadron during the Second World War, consisting of the battleship HMS Prince of Wales, the battlecruiser HMS Repulse, and accompanying destroyers. Assembled in 1941, the purpose of the group was to reinforce British Commonwealth assets in the Far East and deter Japanese expansion into British possessions, particularly Malaya and Singapore. The severe shortage of aircraft to protect Force Z, underestimation of the ability of the Japanese armed forces, and the political rather than naval impetus for its deployment are blamed for the destruction of the force.