Hi guys,
Feel free to call me an idiot on this one but how effective is sonar? what I am referring to is the ability of for example a modern submarine to detect and keep track of a hostile submarine?
I know sound travels a great distance under water and I have read about sound (more specifically whale songs) being heard half way across the globe, so:
1). Does sonar need “line of sight” (for example can only detect objects/hear objects in unobstructed open water) or can it be confused in a similar way to the way early radar was in that it could not track targets using ground clutter to hide?
2). What is the maximum distance a typical sonar operator on board a submarine or surface ship can detect another vessel?
3). Can sonar detect and track multiple targets that are not in the same area?
Thanks
By: Witcha - 13th August 2010 at 16:54
The figures I’ve seen for active sonars have been surprisingly low. For instance the ‘Ros’ dipping sonar on the Ka-28 helos can only detect submarines for 3-5km. Even the best figures I’ve seen are only for 50km or so. I suspect the limitations of sonar technology are why submarines are so hard to detect, although to be fair it’s not easy to obtain specs about sonar range on the internet.
By: Bager1968 - 13th August 2010 at 03:58
The problem with active sonar (pinging) is that, while you are trying to find the other sub, you have told him exactly where YOU are.
And, like radar, they can hear you pinging further away than you can get a useful return.
That is why over 90% of sonar usage is passive… just listening, to see what is out there without giving yourself away… and passive takes a lot better equipment and more-highly-trained operators!
By: over G - 12th August 2010 at 15:37
This is an interesting thread, i can’t tell you exactly all the details, but low frequency sound can travel very long distances, sound propagation is highly dependent of the medium, so things like temperature and dept have some influence for it propagation.
LF sonar is effective but only if the sonar itself is at certain dept, i think deeper, better LF reception.
I’m not sure if this applies for the medium frequency range.
Low frequency can be highly receptive, but, it does carry a vey high uncertainly, so sometimes the receiver can hear, but can’t locate the target, just know that there is something out there.
Medium frequency has shorter range, but is more accurate.
Pasive sonar for navigation and tracking is one of the most unrealiable sensors out there, leading many accidents between submarines and subs/surface ships.
3). Can sonar detect and track multiple targets that are not in the same area?
I think this is the deal for modern sonar arrays, they are (seems) to be based on many modules of piezoelectric receivers, since some recivers will get more intensity than others in the reception this lead you to discriminate information for tracking multiple targets, this is not possible for a single big receiver.
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August 12, 2010 at 3:10 pm