The Radar Trap that Broke Japan's Long Lance

For more than a year, the Imperial Japanese Navy had dominated every major night battle in the Solomon Islands. Their secret was the Type 93 "Long Lance" torpedo, a weapon so fast, so powerful, and so long-ranged that American crews often never saw it coming. By November 1943, Vice Admiral Sentaro Omori expected another easy victory when he led a powerful force toward the newly established American beachhead at Empress Augusta Bay. Waiting for him, however, was Rear Admiral Aaron Merrill, whose fleet relied not on superior torpedoes but on a revolutionary advantage: radar. As American destroyers launched daring torpedo attacks and radar-guided cruisers opened fire from beyond Japanese engagement range, the battle descended into confusion, with friendly collisions, false victory reports, missed opportunities, and commanders fighting enemies they could barely see. While the Long Lance had terrorized the Pacific for nearly two years, the Battle of Empress Augusta Bay exposed its greatest weakness against a fleet that could see through the darkness. This is the story of one of the most -- As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Seas sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Seas is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas.