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Low Frequency Active Sonar Gains US Gov. Approval

Posted by michael on from the can-you-hear-me-now dept.

burntout writes "According to bbc online the US government has finally approved the use of low frequency active sonar. Apparently the navy has been granted an exemption from the marine mammal protection act for this, which is apparently 'necessary because of new superquiet Chinese, Russian, and German subs'."

5 of 68 comments (clear)

  1. This is an overhyped issue... by duffbeer703 · · Score: 3, Informative

    Active sonar is only used in emergency situations.

    Using an active sonar array advertises your position to any other submarines in 30-90 nm radius.

    The most common use for active sonar is to acquire a definitive lock on a target after torpedoes have been launched.

    --
    Conformity is the jailer of freedom and enemy of growth. -JFK
    1. Re:This is an overhyped issue... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

      I believe that's Nautical Mile when you are in an ocean.

    2. Re:This is an overhyped issue... by gonar · · Score: 3, Informative

      actually, on normal targets passive detecion range is much greater, but less precise. you know where he is, but not quite precisely where.

      however, today's submarines are sooooo quiet, that they make less noise then the ocean background.

      active is great for very high precision location at relatively short ranges.

      if you are banging out active pings, your nice quiet enemy, just outside your active detection range knows where you are and can fairly easily maneuver around you.

      the counter tactic to this is a team of subs, some pinging and some passive, with the passive guys in the gaps trying to catch the sneaky bastards....

      --
      The difference between Theory and Practice is greater in Practice than in Theory.
  2. Info on the "Superquiet German Sub" by hettb · · Score: 0, Informative
    First Fuel-Cell Submarine in the World is christened at the HDW Shipyard

    U-Boot-Klasse U 212

    Lautlos, wendig, ausdauernd - die U-Boot-Klasse U-212 A

    U 212 - Technologiesprung unter Wasser

    German Armed Forces

    German Navy

    Info on German military by US government

  3. re: overhyped issue by burntout · · Score: 4, Informative

    . . . good point DuffBeer; however, if you had read the article, you might have noticed that this is towed array sonar, based on ships. The issue here is not stealth, it is detection.