The nuclear-powered radar-picket submarine USS Triton shows why altitude mattered to carrier warning. Surface ships and submarines remained constrained by the radar horizon, while an aircraft aloft could look down and extend the warning picture. Low-flying aircraft and missiles could still exploit the curvature of the earth to approach a fleet. Airborne early warning gave carrier groups more time to vector interceptors and build layered protection.
Notable Point · 13:44-16:07
Airborne radar solves the carrier horizon problem
A radar-horizon explanation shows why putting early-warning sensors in the air gave carrier groups more time against low-flying threats.