Why piston aircraft remained effective in Korea

Did British carrier aircraft in Korea depend on American jets to provide air cover?

No. Sea Furies and radar-directed defence remained useful, while reliable piston aircraft could generate roughly twice as many sorties as maintenance-heavy early jets.

British carrier aircraft in Korea did not depend entirely on American jets for protection. Sea Furies and the fleet's radar-directed air-defence system remained effective against the limited jet threat they faced. Piston aircraft averaged roughly 2.4 to 2.5 flights for every one flown by an early jet because jet maintenance consumed more effort. Speed therefore did not translate automatically into more useful sorties over a campaign. Britain experimented with rubberised decks, angled landing areas, and mirrored landing sights while learning how to recover faster aircraft safely. Longer-range combat air patrols also increased the need for pickets and airborne warning, making deck design, maintenance, sortie generation, and air defence parts of one operating system.