Type 965 radar

Type 965M and Type 965P

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.

The various versions of the Type 965 radars all had the limitation that they could not detect moving targets with a land mass behind them; this was a major disadvantage during the 1982 Falklands War. Similarly the Type 965 could not detect aircraft flying low; The two Argentine Navy Super Étendards that attacked the Sheffield were not detected by Type 965R radar when they were flying at 98 feet (30 m), 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), though it was the UAA1 radar warning receiver that drew attention to the contacts.

The Type 965M and 965P had a narrower beam (12° horizontal) than the preceding Type 960 (35° horizontal). The narrower beam was needed for air direction. The Type 965Q and 965R were improvements on the 965M and 965P respectively; these had a moving target indicator (MTI) mode to suppress clutter; though Friedman states that they lacked any provision for moving target indication.

The Type 965 radars used radio frequencies that were also used by television stations, and therefore caused interference with television (and vice versa) if used near land in Europe. Type 965 was superseded by the Type 1022 radar, which did not have this disadvantage.

During 1954-55, reports on most fleet exercises showed that there was an urgent need for radar picket ships. These would require a suitable radar. The need for such a radar had been raised as a staff requirement in May 1950. In 1955, four radars were considered:

A potential route for the Royal Navy to get the SPS-6C was the Mutual Defense Assistance Pact (MDAP), but by 1954-5 the MDAP programme was running down. In addition, it was thought that getting spares for the SPS-6C radar could be a problem, because the United States Navy considered it obsolescent. The Marconi design was chosen and was named Type 965. The Type 965M was introduced in about 1960, and used the original AKE(1) aerial with an improved receiver and and feeder.