In the late 1950s, the Royal Navy operated the piston-engined Douglas Skyraider AEW aircraft off its aircraft carriers. However, the Skyraider was designed during the Second World War. It entered service with the RN in 1951 and was considered obsolete by the late 50s. As a consequence, the RN looked to its then standard anti-submarine aircraft, the Fairey Gannet, as a replacement.