Monday, March 20, 2006

ASW for dummies

I don't like to call a Brother out: but this has got to be the worst comment on Anti-Submarine Warfare I have read since, "Flaming datums are good in that you now where the sub is; well a few miles from - awhile ago." (junior officer on qualification board circa 2000)
On Monday, Capt. Thomas Carney, Mobile Bay's skipper, told reporters as he monitored the underwater hunt from his combat information center that since the exercise began on Sunday a picket line of helicopters, P3-Orions and his ship and two frigates had been able to track "some of the submarines."

"We are trying to locate him and keep as far away from the aircraft carrier as possible," Carney said. "The best defense is to keep as far away as possible." Donnelly said diesel electric submarines are "quieter and harder to find. It's a skill that our sailors need to practice in order to maintain proficiency."

He added that the primary target in the Cold War were Soviet nuclear submarines, which were faster and noisier and spent all their time in deeper waters. Perkins said a diesel sub works in shallower waters and needs to poke its periscope above the ocean surface to replenish its air supply and recharge its batteries. He added that time is on their side in the game to outwit their underwater adversaries.

"We don't always know where the sub is," Perkins said, "but we know what their goals are, and we can just sit out there and just wait for him."
Like the sub guys don't have enough to laugh about. I bet he's a AAW guy by nature.

Just a few things here.

1 - The Cold War ended about 15 years ago. Shut up about it, it sounds like we haven't done anything about the submarine threat since.....mmmmm.

2 - OK, it is the Sir Robin ASW tactic. Farragut would be so proud.

3 - And they don't get much experience in conventional submarines...because....WE HAVE NUKES PRETENDING TO BE THEM......

4 - Bubblehead, back me up on this, but: (a) their goal is to sink ships. (b) if you sit out there and wait for them you just made the target motion analysis easier.

OK, if this is part of some INFO OPS or PSYOPS campaign to make the ChiComs too cocky, then all is well. Wait, we can't do that with domestic press. Oops. Sigh.

No comments: