ASV: the detection of surface vessels by airborne radar

Radar, both ship-borne and airborne played a vital part in preventing the defeat of Britain in the Battle of the Atlantic. The Telecommunications Research Establishment (TRE) was responsible for the airborne radar for the RAF and FAA. A detailed account of the work on the airborne detection of surface vessels, starting with the first experiments in 1937, is given in the paper. ASV (aircraft to surface vessel) started its life as an equipment intended for the detection of surface vessels. The importance of the submarine during the Second World War deflected attention, to a very large extent, from ASV´s original role. As the war progressed more and more attention became focused on the improvement of the equipment to enable it to detect submarines with less and less showing above the surface of the sea.