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SG radar played a crucial role in the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, a naval conflict between the US and Japan. Rear Admiral Willis Augustus Lee, known for his technical expertise, was tasked with preventing a Japanese attack on Henderson Field. He was aware of a sizable Japanese force approaching and decided to position his task force between Cape Esperance and Savo Island. However, he had never collaborated with any of the supporting ships in his task force, and he ordered the destroyers and battleships to be separated by 5,000 yards to avoid accidents. Lee's decision to alter his task force's direction by ninety degrees was crucial in the battle.

Admiral Lee, a naval officer, sought updated information about the approaching enemy, but was met with resistance from the Japanese torpedo boats. He sent a "Ching Lee" message to General Alexander Vandegrift, who persuaded them to be not Japanese. Despite his efforts, Lee's knowledge remained unchanged. Admiral Kondo divided his forces into three groups, with Sendai leading a six-destroyer column and Sendai and Shikinami pursuing Lee's squadron. At 10:10, Sendai and Shikinami attacked Lee's squadron, while Kondo's flagship heavy cruiser Atago and battleship Kirishima aimed to shell Henderson Field. At 10:52, Lee directed his ships westward, and Washington's SG radar detected the enemy ship Sendai. The new SG radar proved to be more effective than the outdated SC radar, providing a crucial advantage over the Japanese task force.

Washington's 16-inch weapons targeted Sendai and her escorts, but none found their target. The Japanese retaliated with fire, with the destroyer USS Walke and the cruiser Nagara sinking. The Japanese ships used flashless powder and flashless powder to hide their positions. The main weapon of the Japanese was the Type 93 Long Lance torpedo, which was used by the Imperial Navy on its destroyers and cruisers. The USS Benham and Gwin were seriously damaged but afloat, while Preston and Walke were sunk. Admiral Lee's column of four destroyers, including Benham and Gwin, suffered significant damage but carried out their duty as escorts for South Dakota and Washington. At 11:48, Admiral Lee ordered Benham and Gwin to leave the combat zone, leaving the battleships and themselves to continue the fight.

South Dakota, a battleship, experienced a stroke of bad luck when its electrical circuit breakers went out, causing all lights to go out and radar screens to dark. This led to the battleship being in the path of Japanese warships and destroyers, making it an easy target. Admiral Kondo's bombardment force, a Japanese destroyer, was discovered to be fewer than three miles distant. South Dakota took 26 hits in less than four minutes, causing superficial damage. After determining South Dakota could no longer support Lee in halting Kondo's bombardment group, Captain Gatch requested authorization to leave the combat zone. Washington, a lone-ship task force, was left to deal with Kondo's battleships. The battle between Washington and Kirishima was more akin to a fight between two heavyweight boxers in a blacked-out ring.

At midnight, Washington's 16-inch main battery and two 5-inch mounts opened fire on Kirishima, a Kongo battleship. The ammunition was armor-piercing, intended to burst inside the hull and pass through the decks. The battleship was hit frequently by shells, causing massive white water geysers to erupt. Washington's radar played a major role in their superb shooting, allowing gunners to see their targets in all weather conditions and in the dark. Kirishima was out of the fight within seven minutes, with topsides aflame and steering gear hopelessly wrecked. Admiral Kondo's bombardment group remained a formidable force, but shifted to the north-northwest to prevent her from interfering with troop shipments. Kondo ordered all ships attacking Washington to retreat after firing their torpedoes, and all ships not actively participating in the attack to evacuate.

In November 1942, the US Navy's destroyer Gwin was unable to finish a mission escorted by Benham to Espiritu Santo. Despite the damage, Gwin managed to sink her sister destroyer and return to Espiritu Santo. The US warship Ayanami and Kirishima also faced similar fates. Kirishima sank into the waters west of Savo Island, killing around 250 soldiers. In 1992, underwater explorer Robert Ballard discovered the ship's wreckage, revealing its capsize and top-heavy design. The Naval Battle of Guadalcanal continued, with both sides declaring a "tremendous victory." Despite losing three of its four destroyers and suffering severe damage to one of its battleships, Admiral Lee managed to prevent Kondo from pounding Henderson Field and sank one destroyer and Kirishima. The battle caused Japanese leaders to doubt the Guadalcanal campaign's potential conclusion.