Trying to be sneaky

[yubba]

Well I tested a ssn688 flight 2 doing 10 knots 150ft in mission editor..I was sitting in a Seawolf sonar suite picked it up on tow array 12 miles out narrow band clasiffied no wonder I was getting hosed in the Los Angles. will bring more interesting tid bits when I come aross them..

[Stewy1]

Yeah, maybe I'm too conservative, but in my mind, if you're not going 3 knots, you're asking to get caught!

[Lanzfeld]

I don't have DW (yet!) but is the optimum speed for ones own towed array 5 knots?

[FPSchazly]

It depends on what boat you're driving as to what your "silent" speed should be. In a Seawolf or Virginia, you should be doing 5-7 knots, there's no need to go as slow as 3. But in a 688(i), I would recommend 3 knots.

In a Kilo, probably 3 or 4 knots but in a Lada or a Type 212, 5-7 knots as well.

This all assumes Reinforce Alert mod.

Lanzfeld, it depends on the towed array. Its performance stays pretty constant until you get close to washout speed. For the Akula, if my memory serves, they washout around 12 knots I think. American boats have the TB-16 and the TB-23 or TB-29. The TB-16 is a higher speed towed that works up to somewhere between standard and full, but has lower sensitivity. The TB-23/TB-29 work to lower speeds, more like between 2/3 and Standard, but have increased sensitivity.

[Lanzfeld]

Oh wow thanks for the info!
I'm specifically wondering can speed be too slow for the TA to work properly? Like in cold waters

[FPSchazly]

Originally Posted by Lanzfeld

Oh wow thanks for the info!
I'm specifically wondering can speed be too slow for the TA to work properly? Like in cold waters

You're welcome!

Yes, going too slow can have two major consequences: 1) the towed can drag on the bottom of the ocean if it's shallow enough and you'll have washout, 2) the towed can dip beneath a layer if you're above a layer, which can be a desired behavior, but not if you weren't planning for it lol.

Also, the slower you go, the longer it takes for the towed to turn and straighten if you order a course change. When the towed is turning (re: not straight), you can't trust the data from it. I recommend streaming generally only 25-33% of the length of American toweds, and approximately 220 m for Russian toweds in order to reduce the time it takes for the towed to straighten.