(Washington, D.C.) The stealthiest, quietest and most impossible to detect enemy submarines still emit some kind of acoustic signature, present potentially discernible configurations and emit electromagnetic “pings” upon surfacing from undersea depths … yet they often remain elusive and somewhat “beneath the radar” in both the literal and figurative sense.
These interwoven variables continue to present challenges for anti-submarine warfare commanders operating systems engineered to find enemy undersea boats in position to present a threat of attack.
Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW)
Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW), when executed successfully, seeks to leverage surface scanning optical cameras, RF-signal or “ping” analyzing radar, towed sonar arrays lowered beneath surface ships and even air-dropped sonobuoys networked to send back acoustic return “pings.”
However, each of these detection modes of course operate differently and not always in relation to one another, making it potentially difficult to synergize otherwise disconnected signs, signals, cues or indicators.
Addressing this operational quandary informs the principle strategic and tactical basis for submarine hunting, something often performed by large, torpedo-armed fixed-wing aircraft, surface-scanning drones, submarines equipped with advanced sonar arrays, helicopters lowering sonobuoys, underwater sub-hunting drones and surface-ships equipped with sonar and surface radar.
What about transforming an upgraded, multi-int surveillance drone with an integrated sphere of maritime-specific sub-hunting sensor systems into a remotely operated, yet autonomous platform equipped with a new generation of data-processing technology sufficient to collect, merge, analyze and synergize otherwise disconnected pools of threat data obtained by sensors?
Integrated Battle Problem
This is the thinking behind the Navy’s recently conducted Integrated Battle Problem experiment in the Pacific theater, as it sought to bring manned-unmanned teaming with drones, ship-based radar and manned fixed-wing platforms to find..and ultimately destroy .. enemy submarine targets at previously undetectable ranges beyond the horizon.
