Randomizer

Skeptical only as it applied to the Halibut narrative and without corroboration from the Japanese side..

They certainly had MAD, no doubt it worked and I understand that the Japanese version was superior to that of the USN in a number of respects. I am skeptical that a submerged submarine can be certain of how it was located without reference to the locator's account.

MAD, like imaging infrared in Nazi Germany, were technologies where the Axis was equal or better than that of the Allies. The numerous accounts of U-Boats believing that they had been located by some sort of infrared device disguised the existance of centimetric radar since it was assumed that Allied also had infrared technology. In this particular case knowing of MAD and knowing that the Japanese had it as well might affect impartial analysis of how initial detection was actually achieved.

Whether detected by MAD or visual the Japanese attack on Halibut was certainly accurate and devastating so attributing it to some technological advantage is not unreasonable from the target's point of view. The assumption that MAD was a factor in detecting Halibut may be accurate or not, I do not claim to know for sure but I doubt that a submerged submarine lacking the ability to detect low-flying aircraft would be in a position to know either.