Ken
Welcome back & thanks for clarification. Now I’m not an expert on this but I thought in the early Sea Dart system the 909 had to be locked on and the Sea Dart itself receiving reflective signal to be able to commit to launch (unless it was an overridden). If it was only the 992 showing phantom reflections how would the 909 achieve lock or am I missing something?

Interesting comments regarding the combat logs. I’ve complied my list of launches from individual accounts but even these can have times and details variations.

I would really like to find an above deck eye witness account of HMS Exeter attempt at engaging an Exocet on the 25 May. I’ve seen an account from the op room which records that the 909 did lock, the Sea Dart did guide and proximity fuse detonated the warhead, although most likely against the surface of the water, but nobody seems to know exactly what happened next. Very shortly after this the Exocet disappeared from radar but this was not unexpected given its very low altitude which limited the radar tracking horizon.

Another Sea Dart mystery is HMS Coventrys launch late in the day of 9th May. I have seen a log of radio information which records hearing ‘bird away, Coventry’ at 19.02. This is not mentioned in the book Four weeks in May by captain Hart Dyke which details HMS Coventry’s Falkland campaign and sinking. Incidentally this book tallies with other launch with the independent information. However the published HMS Coventry court of enquiry records an event at this time, only to then be followed by about half a page of redaction. What’s so secret about this launch, an aborted blue on blue maybe?

Thank you, it’s great to respond to you guys again.

I see where you are coming from with the lock up of spurious radar returns. And it was a great source of mystery to me when I witnessed it for real, yes I have seen the 909 radar show a lock symbol (diamond for forward and square for aft) on spurious contacts. I don’t know the answer and wish I had the balls to ask at the time!

You may not know this but Bristol’s operators picked up two spurious returns and fired at both and in a different direction to us in Cardiff (we were only tracking one) so a strange phenomenon indeed! I have always been told it was 992 mutual interference, sorry.

As for the missile having to detect the 909 radar presence before a launch can be initiated, I’m dubious about that. The 909 has a ‘pencil beam’ radar profile and with the radar being (physically) in a position on the ship that is significantly higher than the launcher, then add the fact that I have never heard a voice launch procedure to state that the missile has ‘contact’ with 909 leaves me with the opinion that the missile picks up and ‘rides’ the 909 after launch. On the other hand you could be absolutely right.

Can’t help you with the Exeter and Coventry issue, just do not know.