Q&A · 1:23:09-1:23:16

Sea King AEW studies before the Falklands emergency

Sea King airborne-early-warning studies dated back to 1966, complicating the story of a capability invented from scratch during the Falklands War.

Airborne Early Warning Falklands War Naval Aviation Royal Navy Sea King Helicopters

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Question

Why is earlier work on Sea King airborne early warning, dating to 1966, often overlooked?

Short answer

Because it complicates the appealing story that the capability was developed rapidly and from scratch during the Falklands War.

Notes

Sea King AEW studies dated back to 1966. That history complicates the familiar account of a capability created from scratch during the Falklands War. The distinction is between a long-discussed concept and its rapid wartime development.