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Originally Posted by nkd
Actually listening is still the biggest part of submarine sonar. The computers can tell you range and direction, but you still really need a human to tell you what it is you're tracking. Software exists to identify it, but it's not particularly good, and can't replace a well trained operator.
I was going to train to be a sonar operator before i got hit with ill health. Hopefully I'll still do it some day  |
Like I said never been trained as a submarine Sonar operator. Submarine operator are really tight lipped about what goes on inside the boat. You are quite right a well trained operator is essential. Notice I said signal processor and not computer. The signal processor provides you with raw data. The operator has to make the call. You are right, some automatic detection system exist but they are rather poor.
I was trained as an acoustic officer and can tell you that the acoustic display in a P3C, a Nimrod or an Aurora aircraft can actually tell you not only what class of submarine you are tracking (boomer, diesel, attack) but can also tell you which hull type within each class and in some cases the actual hull number. The audio portion was only used when too few frequencies showed up in the waterfall display and could be confused with marine life or surface shipping. I'm talking about airborne passive tracking. We never went active. A ping could be construed as a sign of aggression plus we didn't want our presence known. In a conflict, the first thing we wanted the submariners to hear was the sound of the torpedo entering the water, after that we went active because the jig was up and we wanted to quickly reposition ourselves for a second shot.
Zanth, it sounds more exciting than it really is. One hour mission briefings at 3 o'clock in the morning, two hours to prep the aircraft, take off at 6, on station around 8, 10 hours of tracking a boomer within its patrol box, return to base at 2000 hours, 2 hours of debrief. Go home. Do that three times a week, 10,000 flight hours later it gets pretty boring.
