Searchwater

This type of radar has been in service with the Royal Air Force Hawker Siddeley Nimrod aboard the MR2 variant since the 1970s.

[1] The retirement of the Royal Navy's fleet carriers in 1978 meant that the airborne early warning (AEW) capable Fairey Gannet was also withdrawn from service.

During the Falklands War, a number of warships were lost due to the lack of an indigenous AEW presence.

Consequently, a greatly accelerated project was started to equip Westland Sea King helicopters with a slightly modified version of the system known as Searchwater LAST (Low Altitude Surveillance Task).

The radome was mounted in a distinctive inverted cupola on a swivel arm attached to the right side of the fuselage just aft of the main door.