Q&A ยท 11:06:35-11:08:23

Why naval radar networks are hard to target

Moving platforms and alternating radar transmissions make a task group's emissions harder to map than fixed stations ashore.

Question

Could radar emissions map a naval force in the same way as a stationary land radar network?

Short answer

It is harder because ships move relative to one another and can alternate which radars transmit.

Notes

A moving naval force presents a less stable emissions picture than a fixed radar network ashore. Ships can alternate which pickets radiate and keep other sets silent until they are needed. A formation may have many radars available even while only a few are transmitting. Ships also change position relative to each other, making it harder to infer a fixed network from differences between individual signals.