No, I'm certain the modeling of the conformal and hull arrays is accurate.
The hull/conf arrays should have the same geometry fore and aft (symetrical coverage). The primary limiting factor on the sphere arrays is the heavy sound shielding directly between it and the submarine that the hull and conformal arrays don't have.
The acoustic geometry of the conformal arrays, reaching around the tops and bottoms of the rounded hull, make it very likely that they can see farther after than the conformal arrays (draw a picture for yourself and you'll see what I mean).
Also, it is important to remember that the coverage of all sensor arrays is not simply a matter of the sensor surface and the environment, but also the computational processes that lie between the array and the displays. To get a feel for this, picture the TA in your mind... how the hell could you localize sounds on bearings with an array such as that??? The answer can only be found in the computers that process and amplify the raw imput from the sensor in order to display it to the sonarman.
Keep in mind, due to array geometry, that if we reduced the backward sweep of the hull and conformal arrays, logically and mechanically we would have to reduce the forward sweep of the array as well, and this has the duel dissadvantage of being somewhat implausible and much less practical for gameplay.
So I'd say there is both a realism and playability reason for not reducing the baffling of the hull and conformal arrays, in other words, it would be "wrong."
Like I said, draw a picture of the arrays and their sensor cones, and you will see what I mean.
