Quote:
Originally Posted by Crannogman
Is there any evidence that ships equipped with radar perform better (fire more accurately and/or at longer range) than their optical-only counterparts?
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Are you speaking in general or in the game? Radar was a far more reliable instrument under conditions of poor visibility than optical range finding, and it could not be hampered by smoke screens or dazzle camouflage patterns. A proficient radar operator could obtain an accurate plot to target almost at once, whereas optical range finding demanded repeated observations to build up an accurate range estimate.
Radar in particular, altered the art of spotting, since shell splashes proved to be easily visible on radar and gave a very accurate correction. The very success of fire-control radar meant that most Allied warships had discarded their spotting float planes by 1943, since these could not operate at night and were a severe fire hazard if their ships were hit by enemy fire. With the introduction of Mark 3 radar, the USN all but abandoned traditional spotting in favor of rocking salvos back and forth across the measured target range.