If you speed across the map using the left mouse button, when you enter combat (visible or invisible targets) the enemy already knows you are there. Try positioning yourself so that the enemy bumps into to you while you are motionless on the map (best) or at the very least when moving using the right mouse button. The very first thing you do when an engagement starts is go ultra quiet. Do not take time to sneeze or go get a cup of coffee, get quiet, and see if you need to move to break detection. Coming to all stop in addition to ultra quiet can further reduce your detectability while you assess the situation.
If you allow aircraft or satellites to pass over your boat when traversing the map, you'll notice the enemy begin to close on your position - they know you are there and are coming to kill you - pinging like mad.
Classify your targets either manually or using the radar or periscope (be quick with these as using them makes it easier to find you). Check the data on the signature page for the contact. Positive numbers mean they can see you. If this is the case, you need to lose their track. Constant pings mean crews are loading weapons soon to be delivered with intent.
Enemies talk to each other. If one knows you are there, they all do. If aircraft locate you, they tell the ships who then tell the subs and vice versa.
When the enemy fires down your bearing, you have lots of time to avoid the torpedo before it goes active, but you must act quickly and decisively. If being shot at, your priority is to avoid the inbound weapons and hide again, not go sailing into the firestorm. Subs will eventually lose against a concerted air/sea attack. Subs have to play the long game if they wish to survive or they fire everything they have and run away as fast as they can to avoid the return fire that is certain to come. Cycle through F3 weapon views. If you see inbound airdropped torpedoes you have minutes not hours to move your sub from where you are to somewhere other than where those torpedoes will enter the water.
There are tactics subs can employ to minimize the danger of return fire when the enemy detects inbound weapons, but those are not what you are referring to in your post.
The single biggest necessity for a sub to survive an engagement is to kill the enemy without them ever knowing for certain exactly where the sub is.
If you are dropped into an engagement and the enemy already knows you are there, you are doing something wrong.
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