Night training and jamming magnify Force K's radar edge

Lance and Lively used their jammers while operating in close relationship with the cruisers, leaving the defenders slow to understand what was happening. The Italians initially mistook the opening for an air attack while their communications were being disrupted, delaying an organized response. The speed and precision of the attack reflected two decades of Royal Navy preparation for night action as well as radar. The combination made the Italian response collapse before it could stabilize.