Hydrophone Hunting (tutorial)

[Alcibiades]

Originally Posted by Bothersome

Imagining a situation...

1. Target is part of the mission.
2. It's heavy rain and fog. So can't use Scope.
3. Target is escorted so can't come to surface.
4. Escorts have radar so can't use radar for range.
5. If they get detection, target serpentines and that would make the shot very hard and have to avoid destroyers.

The problem is... How can I maneuver the boat without the escorts hearing me. Certainly not with any speed.

If I didn't have escorts to worry about, why not just give surface chase and use radar to get range and when close to 1000 yards or meters, climb into the deck gun and get a little practice in. You can't see it at 1000 in heavy rain and fog, but you can get the accurate bearing from sonar tracking and 1000 is close enough to get a lot of hits. Chase him till he sinks.

The question is: When is it the best time to need this method of passive acoustics only?

Edited: I posted the above before seeing your message Alcibiades

Ha! Good Question!

Sounds like an ugly situation for sure! I don't think hydrophone tracking would work there. Unless you could stay WAY away until you determined their course. Also, you have to get the bearing to the same ship in order for it to work. That would be tough in a big convoy and if you get the wrong ship, your course and speed estimate will be off. dunno, try to get in front and sit and wait?

I'd say it works best for: a single slow moving ship that does not change course or speed and is not moving 90 AOB or away from you. In fact that might be all it works for

but at least in that case it is possible to get the contacts course information before even getting into visual range