Q&A · 1:31:49-1:33:22

What a Falklands-era task force could do at Pearl Harbor

A 1982 Royal Navy task force arriving before Pearl Harbor would face a political dilemma before its modern sensors, aircraft, and weapons transformed the Pacific balance.

Question

What happens if the Royal Navy task force from the Falklands War appears at Pearl Harbor on 6 December 1941?

Short answer

It first faces a neutrality and warning dilemma, but if it intervenes its modern aircraft, antisubmarine helicopters, sensors, and missiles would dominate 1941 naval forces.

Notes

The first problem is political rather than tactical: Britain and the United States were not yet allies on 6 December 1941, so the force would have to decide whether to warn the Americans or intervene. Once committed, its technology would be overwhelming against 1941 opponents. Sea King antisubmarine helicopters would devastate contemporary submarine forces, while Sea Harriers and modern anti-ship weapons could hunt the Japanese carrier force. The task force could become a ready-made British contribution to the Pacific War only after resolving the moral and diplomatic problem created by its foreknowledge.