Did NATO's open-ocean expectations create a blind spot about radar ground clutter near land?
Short answerNot entirely, because Norway was an expected coastal theatre, but the Royal Navy had too few suitably equipped ships and lacked carrier AEW when the Falklands campaign began.
NotesThe answer rejects the idea that NATO expected to fight only over uncluttered open water. Royal Navy plans also included Norway, where radar had to distinguish aircraft from coastal terrain. Only a small number of frigates had the appropriate inshore radar capability, and those ships were not available with the first Falklands force. The rapid arrival of Sea King AEW and radar modifications after the campaign shows how operational experience forced the neglected requirement back into the fleet.