Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 2:37:16-2:38:13

Radar retrofit built on years of testing

A retrofit question argues that wartime radar was not treated as an untested novelty because naval development had already run through much of the 1930s.

BattleshipsNaval RadarRoyal NavyWorld War II
Watch at this timeFull video guide
Question

Was radar difficult to retrofit to older Royal Navy warships, and did the Navy distrust it?

Short answer

Retrofitting was challenging, but radar had been developed through the 1930s and was not viewed merely as an unproven wartime experiment.

Notes

Fitting complex equipment into older hulls brought practical challenges in power, cabling, antenna placement, and integration. Radar had nevertheless been tested at sea through much of the 1930s before wartime refits accelerated. Officers were therefore familiar with the technology rather than being asked to accept an unknown invention on faith. The practical questions concerned which set was available, how it could be installed, and how the ship would use its information.