Radar at War in the RAAF WWII 1939-1945
'The Pither Report'
On the 7 November 1941 the RAAF was given responsibility for ground-based early warning radar operations. From this date until the end of hostilities
on 15 August 1945, a total of 142 ground radar units were brought into operation. In addition, some 500 Air to Surface Vessel (ASV) radars were installed in bomber and reconnaissance aircraft such as Hudsons, Beauforts and Catalinas. Of the 142 ground based radars, approximately 56 were
known as Light Weight Air Warning (LWAW) radars which were designed
and built in
Australia based on British electronic technology. Six LWAW systems were allocated to radar units formed in Canberra in 1943 and the remainder distributed to radar units that had been formed in Townsville, Queensland and Mascot and Richmond in New South Wales.
Read about: How_RADAR_was_introduced_into_the_RAAF.pdf
All these radars gave outstanding performance in remote areas of
North Western outback Australia, around the coastline of Australia,
New
Guinea, the Pacific Islands and Borneo. WWII radars and their
associated Fighter
Control Units (FCU) formed a large part of the ‘secret war’ of
communications and electronic technology and involved
more than 6 000 RAAF and Women’s Auxiliary Australian Air Force
(WAAAF) personnel.
Their contribution to victory was invaluable
through their skills and
dedication.
The aspiration of the Radar Branch is to extend membership to RAAF
serving members. The Branch is grateful to have Air Commodore Chris Westwood who has excelled as a leader in the development of
modern radar capabilities in Air Force, particularly in the
introduction of the Airborne Early Warning 'Wedgetail' aircraft,
as the Senior RAAF Serving Member of the Branch.
In May 1941 Wing Commander Albert George Pither was put in charge of RAAF's radar operations. Pither was in Britain, studying radar when the technology was put to use during the Battle of Britain in 1940. He developed a plan to surround Australia with a 'home chain' of radar stations of nine 'Advanced Chain Overseas' (ACO) radar stations established on mainland Australia using British imported ACO radar.
Read about: Wing_Commander_PITHER.pdf
Read 'The Pither Report': Wing Commander Pither's official Report on RAAF Radar in WWII:
