Maddog pretty much answers it, but I'll still add a couple of things.
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Originally Posted by Matador.es
Just a question 4 you then since you have experiance (i started playing Dangerous Waters since a week). How effective is MAD? And till what depth is it effective? What is the best way for a Orion to detect a sub.
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Originally Posted by MaddogK
MAD is extremely effective for pinpointing the location of metal and other electrical disturbances that produce a magnetic field that differs from the earths natural field. It is NEVER used as a search tool as the ASW A/C has to fly directly over the target for the MAD detector to indicate the target. The depth is almost a non-issue, MAD is an extremely sensitive sensor but considering the size of the magnetic disturbance a little range never hurts.
I can't speak specifically of P-3's, but normally fixed wing ASW patrol A/C 'seed' a field of LOFAR buoys and after the data is analyzed an area is indicated where a possible target is located, a few DIFAR buoys are layed in the area to confirm this and a track is generated. CASS/DICAS and MAD are then used to pinpoint the exact location of the target for weapons deployment.
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Maddog has it on MAD, and mostly right on finding a submarine. The best way for a P-3 to find a sub, is to know where one might be at. There's thousands of square miles of ocean it has to cover and it can't be everywhere at once. This is where intelligence comes into play. It could be from any source foreign, another sub, or a surface ship. Once you have an area to search then you can go on to dropping buoys.
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When one (p3) would use the radar (scope) the subs ESM will detect the P3 radar signal way before the reflection will be able to get back to the P3. Effect, subs is aware of p3 before p3 knows about the sub. Subs dives deep and game over for the p3 unless its constantly dropping DIFAR/DISCAS/VLAD SB's? Which is quite an expensive approach i suppose?
The P3 could use ESM, which maintain stealth, but the sub is never going to use his radar on a final approach, so no point in turning it on, other then for surface vessels.
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I'm not sure of P-3 RADAR specs, but I'd assume that like the APS-116 an ESM mast would be almost undetectable unless the A/C was within a few miles of the target, and certainly the wake produced by the raised mast would be visible from the air a great distance. A sub wouldn't be running with any raised mast or scope for more than a couple of minutes unless the Capt. was a complete idiot. The search A/C would have ESM on at all times, so a single sweep of the targets RADAR would instantly be detected and give a vector for the A/C to search.
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ESM is a passive system, meaning it emits no signal of any kind and therefore is undetectable. However the mast it uses is detectable by the APS-137 radar. When the ESM Operator gets an APS-137 on his scope, that doesn't mean you have to go deep to avoid it. Depending on what you are doing you may be required to stay at periscope depth for your mission. In that event the Officer of the Deck would lower the any masts and antennas not in use so they don't create a wake and can't be detected. As for the P-3 using ESM to locate a submarine, it wouldn't work unless the submarine is on the surface. A submarines radar is for nothing more than surface navigation. Unlike in WWII when it was used extensively by the US fleet boats, it has been replaced in that role by the sonar system. Sonar has a longer range and can be used passively which adds to the stealth of the submarine. Something about ESM and radar, they don't work very well together. If you have both on your radar will drown out anything else on your ESM system due to it's proximity.
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This weekend i will install DW on my laptop's and try some multy player (3pc) with myself (no i am not schizophrenic). So i can better determen the cause vs effect.
Last question, how detectable is the ESM mast of a sub? Is it just a its periscope? How can a sub use ESM without the risk of detection?
Maybe 2 many questions
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ESM is linked in with the periscope. Reason for this serves two purposes. First having just the periscope up allows the OOD to quickly survey his surroundings visually, and if if there is a nearby vessel that may run over the sub minimizes damage to other masts. Second it also allows the ESM operator a quick survey of the electronic environment. The first thing he would look for is strong ESM contacts that may pose a danger of collision, and then inform the OOD. Safety of ship is paramount to a successful mission. Also something of note about the APS-137, the operator can adjust the power output up or down.