His assistant, Arnold Wilkins, demonstrated that a death ray was impossible but suggested radio could be used for long-range detection. In late 1934, the Tizard Committee asked radio expert Robert Watson-Watt to comment on the repeated claims of radio death rays and reports suggesting Germany had built some sort of radio weapon. Its effect on the war made it one of the most powerful systems of what became known as the 'Wizard War'. Chain Home was the first early warning radar network in the world and the first military radar system to reach operational status. Initially known as RDF, and given the official name Air Ministry Experimental Station Type 1 ( AMES Type 1) in 1940, the radar units were also known as Chain Home for most of their life. 8 km (5.0 mi) or better (1 kilometre (0.62 mi) typical) in range, ☑2º in azimuth (typically less)Ĭhain Home, or CH for short, was the codename for the ring of coastal early warning radar stations built by the Royal Air Force (RAF) before and during the Second World War to detect and track aircraft.
