Urgency would come from the appointment and influence of radar advocates and from the need to contest Japanese night tactics. James Somerville had an early-1939 role in pressing for shipboard radar. Historically, the first Royal Navy sets followed within roughly four months of that involvement. A sudden Pacific war could accelerate the same effort enough to place early equipment aboard ships before the main fleet battle. This schedule makes early operational experimentation plausible, with a mature system still some distance away.
Notable Point · 2:08:17-2:09:21
How a 1939 Pacific war could accelerate naval radar
A Pacific conflict could make the Royal Navy push naval radar into service earlier than in the historical timeline.