Well if the Sonalysis sims are at all real, then they definitely can. From a technical standpoint even the ww2 subs could potentially do it with straight running torpedoes using their hydrophones. Someone here ages ago had even written a tutorial on how track and attack surface contacts using only the hydrophones by figuring out their course and speed, just by listening to the sounds and directions and plotting it out over time. You could actually develop pretty accurate tracks using this, but it took a lot of practice.
With modern passive sonar you can identify vessels by the sound trace they make, matched to a library, and use computers to hone in on the track, figure out distance, speed, etc.. Then launch a wire guided adcap on passive, only letting it go active when it was right on the target. Of course in the sims at least (and I am sure reality) it is a bit of a guessing game as local water conditions can seriously distort things, particularly the actual range. Active sonar or radar will clear things up in a hurry, but everyone will know you are there and almost exactly where too.
As for periscopes or ESM masts, I don't think they are used that much once you are out to sea. In modern times they are mostly used for navigating shipping or scouting purposes more than anything. You wouldn't want them for attacking so much any more, as most radar can easily pick them up.
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