Ward finds Ted Ball's 800 Naval Air Squadron Sea Harrier at roughly eighteen miles while flying alone at night on a combat-air-patrol exercise. Ball is an RAF officer on loan to the Fleet Air Arm. Blue Fox supplies enough information to determine the contact's height and heading, letting Ward move unseen into a simulated Sidewinder firing position. A second interception is harder because HMS Hermes warns Ball, yet Ward again reaches the rear quarter and calls a simulated Fox Two shot. He is surprised that Ball does not reverse the engagement. His retrospective explanation is that radar standard and operator experience could decide whether an otherwise similar fighter detected and countered a threat.
Notable Point · 2:29-3:54
Blue Fox radar enables a surprise Sea Harrier intercept
A night sortie becomes an impromptu radar-intercept exercise that exposes differences in equipment and operator experience between Sea Harrier squadrons.