Quote:
Originally Posted by Tshark
I have read a lot of requests for a periscope depth hotkey along with other questions about operating at this depth. In post W.W.II submarine warfare isn't the use of a periscope (or other masts) similar to using active sonar? Doesn't it increase your risk of being discovered more than it helps you find the enemy?
IIRC the Americans enjoyed a sound advantage over the Russians and, as such, attacks were carried out with passive sound almost exclusively. I also thought I read somewhere (vague memory) that doing away with the periscope was considered, but was kept on primarily for photo recon. Can anybody who studies this era enlighten me.
Thanks
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The periscope can be counter-detected, yes. But it is still a passive device in principle (unless you use a laser for range finding). Active sonar is, well, active! You're emitting sound that can be directly detected. A periscope is just receiving light (again, unless using a laser for range finding). I've also heard, and it's not a big stretch of the imagination, that periscopes incorporate stealth technology.
But, yes, the general protocol seems to be put it up for a few seconds and then lower it. Leaving it up can definitely be an issue for counter-detection.