U.S. Navy plans to increase sonar testing

[Mr Quatro]

I care about the whales ... but I care more for the millions of souls the US Navy protects if they have to locate and destroy an enemy submarine before it can launch missiles or sink a carrier group more.

http://news.yahoo.com/navy-expands-sonar-testing-despite-troubling-signs-154504404.html


SAN DIEGO (AP) — The U.S. Navy plans to increase sonar testing over the next five years, even as research it funded reveals worrying signs that the loud underwater noise could disturb whales and dolphins.

[ETR3(SS)]

I can save them the time and money, quit while you're ahead. Wanna find a submarine? Send another submarine to look for it.

[Mr Quatro]

Yes, passive sonar is better than active sonar, but a galloping destroyer can not be useful sitting around all day waiting for a known sound to show up.

From what little I understand a modern submarine can hear a pinging active sonar from a long way away. All they have to do is get out of the way, but how many have run into a helicopter doing an active search and get caught trying to make a run for it?

Plus don't carrier groups include at least one fast attack running interference?

[ETR3(SS)]

Correct, a CVBG will have at least one attack boat attached to it to scout ahead for any submerged threats. And if a vessel (surface of submerged) goes active everybody in the neighborhood will know about it, and what the platform was that sent it. Hence why a submarine is the best platform to engage another submarine. It doesn't have to contend with all that loud flow noise and waves slapping against the hull that a surface vessel would. Not to mention the noise generated by sub is significantly less than that generated by a destroyer let alone the whole BG! As far as ASW helicopters, if they're dipping their sonar in the water then something tipped them off that you're there in the area.