Why Diesel-Electric Subs Pose A Threat To The US Navy
Story by UmmeAimon Shabbir • 21h
Diesel-electric submarines aren't just a poor man's nuclear alternative. They're a real problem for U.S. Navy surface and air ASW (anti-submarine warfare) crews. Their biggest advantage against AWS crews is silence. When running purely on battery, they're nearly undetectable, especially in coastal waters where sound bounces unpredictably due to currents, salinity, and bottom terrain. Add anechoic coatings and careful maneuvering, and you've got a target that active sonar can barely see and passive sensors struggle to hear.
These boats also take advantage of geography. They live in the littorals: tight straits, crowded fishing lanes, and noisy commercial ports. In these areas, radar and sonar returns are cluttered, and the background noise camouflages the sound of the subs' engines. ASW aircraft crews can't easily pick them out from the noise of 30 other diesel vessels nearby. In war games and real-world patrols, skippers have used tricks like hiding among fishing fleets or slipping back into their own wake to mask movement.
Their small profile returns a weaker sonar ping. In tight, shallow water, that makes all the difference. Many smaller navies use these subs not just because they're cheaper, but because they can fight effectively on their own turf, and if an enemy sub is virtually undetectable, it poses a real threat no matter how small it is.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/why-diesel-electric-subs-pose-a-threat-to-the-us-navy/ar-AA1KB4m2?ocid=widgetonlockscreen&cvid=68a096f2cbc74a639d520555c2a64ff5&ei=60
