Global InformationType 965 radar information
 HMS Coventry in 1981; the AKE(2) aerial of her Type 965R radar is at the top of her foremast | |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Type | naval long range aircraft warning radar |
| Frequency | VHF 216-224 MHz |
| PRF | 200 or 400 p/s nominal |
| Beamwidth | 12° (horizontal), 40° (vertical) |
| Pulsewidth | 3.8 μs and 10 μs |
| RPM | 10 rpm |
| Power | 450 kW |
The Type 965 radar was VHF (P band) long-range aircraft warning radar used by warships of the Royal Navy from the 1960s onwards. The Type 965M, Type 965P, Type 965Q and Type 965R were improved versions; the Type 960, 965M and 965Q used the single bedstead AKE(1) aerial, whilst the Type 965P and 965R used the double bedstead AKE(2) aerial.[1][2][3]
The 965 is ultimately designed to a May 1950 requirement for a further updated version of the 1945 Type 960. The 960 provided long-range early warning on small ships, but had a very wide beam at 35° horizontal. In 1954 the idea of a general-purpose frigate with the ability to provide some fighter direction arose, which required a radar with a much narrower beam. Marconi responded with the 965, reducing the beam to 12°.[2][4][5] Based on WWII technology, the 965 was subject to considerable radar clutter from waves. The Type 965Q and 965R were improvements on the 965M and 965P respectively, adding a COHO-based moving target indication (MTI) mode to suppress clutter.[3] Designed before the introduction of Doppler filtering, it was not able to detect low-level targets against a background, either landforms or high waves.[1]
The lack of a true MTI proved to be a serious problem during the 1982 Falklands War, which ultimately led to the loss of HMS Coventry where Argentine aircraft could not be seen against the background of the islands.[1] Similarly, the Type 965 could not detect aircraft flying low;[1] the two Argentine Navy Super Étendards that caused the loss of HMS Sheffield were not detected by Type 965R radar when they were flying at 98 feet (30 m),[6] but were shown as contacts by HMS Glasgow's Type 965R radar when they popped up to 120 feet (37 m) above sea-level at 45 nautical miles (83 km),[7][8] though it was the UAA1 radar warning receiver that drew attention to the contacts.[7][a]
The Type 965 radars used radio frequencies that were used by television stations, and therefore caused interference with television (and vice versa) if used near land in Europe.[10] Type 965 was superseded by the Type 1022 radar, which did not have this disadvantage.[1]
- ^ a b c d e Friedman, British Destroyers & Frigates, pp. 162, 176.
- ^ a b Cite error: The named reference
BR_333(1)was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b Cite error: The named reference
965QRwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Type 960 Summary of Data, BR 333(1)" (PDF), www.rnmuseumradarandcommunications2006.org.uk, retrieved 3 June 2017
- ^ Friedman, British Cruisers, p. 319.
- ^ Rivas (2012), p. 244.
- ^ a b c Woodward & Robinson (1992), p. 10.
- ^ Middlebrook (2012), p. 156.
- ^ Hampshire (2016), p. 13.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
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