Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 20, 2026

Type 285 radar

The Type 285 radar was a British naval gunnery radar developed during the Second World War. The Type 285 was used as a surface and anti-aircraft ranging radar on smaller ships, and as an anti-aircraft radar on larger ships. The prototype was tested at sea aboard the escort destroyer HMS Southdown in August 1940.

Last revised
Jul 20, 2026
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≈ 1 min
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Citations
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Source
Type 285 radar
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Introduced1940
TypeFire-control radar
Frequency600 MHz
Beamwidth
  • 18° (horizontal)
  • 43° (vertical)
Pulsewidth2 μs
Range18,000 yd (16,000 m)
Altitude15,000 ft (4,600 m)
Precision150 yd (140 m)
Power25 kW

The Type 285 radar was a British naval gunnery radar developed during the Second World War. The Type 285 was used as a surface and anti-aircraft ranging radar on smaller ships, and as an anti-aircraft radar on larger ships. 1 The prototype was tested at sea aboard the escort destroyer HMS Southdown in August 1940.2

The Type 284 radar used the same electronics with a different antenna system, and was used for surface fire control on larger ships (cruisers and battleships).1

Type Aerial outfit Peak power (kW) Frequency (MHz) Wavelength (cm) In service
285 25 600 50 1941
285M 150 600 50 1941
285P 150 600 50 1942
Notes

Notes

  1. "RADAR IN THE RN AT THE END OF WW2" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 24 February 2025.
  2. Campbell, p. 16
Bibliography

Bibliography

  • Campbell, John (1985). Naval Weapons of World War II. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-0-87021-459-2.
  • Friedman, Norman (1981). Naval Radar. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-238-2.
  • Watson, Raymond C. Jr. (2009). Radar Origins Worldwide: History of Its Evolution in 13 Nations Through World War II. Trafford. ISBN 978-1-4269-2111-7.
External links