ATI is pleased to offer a new course “Sonobuoy Technology for Air Anti-Submarine Warfare and Beyond.” This article introduces that course. Additionally, Mr. Seibert Murphy will be conducting a free-session on this topic. Details on that free session, and details on the full course can be found below.
Air Anti-Submarine Warfare (Air ASW) has played a pivotal role in naval operations for decades. It is a complex and ever-evolving field that combines cutting-edge technology with tactical prowess. In this course, we will learn about Air ASW by taking a journey through the history of sonobuoy technology, from its humble beginnings to its current state, and explore the many exciting prospects for its future.
What do you think of when you hear the word sonobuoy? Maybe you think “sonar-buoy” and you would not be too far from the truth because sonobuoy is a mashup of the two words. Thinking about sonobuoys used in Air ASW, we have to consider that not only do they play a vital role but they must be designed like other munitions to be handled, transported, stored, then launched from high altitude, survive impacting the ocean, and operate under demanding climate, extreme weather, and sea state conditions. All while being precise enough to detect submarines (and other undersea vehicles) that are trying to do their very best to remain undetectable. There is a lot going on inside the humble 4.875″ diameter, 36″ long sonobuoy.
Air ASW traces its roots back to World War I when aircraft were first used to search for submarines. Early attempts were rudimentary, with pilots relying on visual observations and basic weapons. However, these pioneering efforts set the stage for the development of more sophisticated ASW tactics and equipment.
The outbreak of World War II saw a rapid evolution in ASW. By 1942 allied forces had developed sonobuoy technology and sonar-equipped aircraft to detect submarines in undersea combat. Depth charges and torpedoes were also refined for aerial use. These advancements proved vital in the Battle of the Atlantic, where convoys depended on ASW to fend off German U-boats.
The Cold War brought further innovations in ASW technology. Aircraft like the P-3 Orion equipped with sonobuoys, advanced sonar signal processing systems, and magnetic anomaly detectors, greatly enhancing their submarine-hunting capabilities. Air ASW operations also played a significant role in the tense standoff between NATO and the Warsaw Pact.
Today, Air ASW remains a critical component of naval strategy. Modern aircraft like the P-8 Poseidon and helicopters such as the MH-60R Seahawk have taken ASW to new heights. These platforms employ cutting-edge sensors, including synthetic aperture radar and acoustic arrays, to detect and track submarines. Additionally, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are increasingly being used for ASW missions, providing enhanced flexibility and endurance.
The future of sonobuoy technologies holds exciting possibilities. Advancements in artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) will likely improve the success rate of submarine detection as well as environmental monitoring and management. Next generation sonobuoys, autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) and underwater drones will play a more prominent role in hunting submarines and exploring the challenging underwater environments. High performance embedded computing, along with cooperative and multi-sensor data fusion methods will revolutionize sonobuoy usage by enabling faster and more accurate data processing.
Sonobuoys and associated technologies have been around in popular media since the seventies. Some of the first examples are as props in shows like “Star Trek” and “Battle Star Galactica.” You may have seen the eight-sided tubes stacked as props in the shuttle bay or in engineering spaces. They were often painted silver or gold to give a futuristic look. Sonobuoys played supporting roles in “The Hunt for Red October”, “Crimson Tide”, “JAG” and “Hawaii-Five-O” to name a few. Unfortunately, sonobuoys are also used for sea air rescue or SAR missions. In those cases, specialized sonobuoys are used to listen for sounds of flight data recorder’s acoustic beacon, noise anomalies, or even voice communications. Recent examples of search and recovery using sonar and sonobuoy technologies include Malaysian Airlines Flight 370 (MH370) in 2014, and the OceanGate Titan submersible in June 2023.
Over the past 100 years, or so, Air ASW and sonobuoy technology has come a long way from its humble beginnings, evolving into a sophisticated and essential aspect of modern naval operations and ocean research. As technology continues to advance, the future of sonobuoys for Air ASW and beyond promises even greater capabilities. We’ll talk about an ever-changing world, where the keeping a watchful eye over the depths of our world’s oceans ensures a healthy food supply, environmental protection, freedom of navigation, safety and security of the seas, for years to come.
A one-hour, free webinar describing the ATI course “Sonobuoy Technology for Air Anti-Submarine Warfare and Beyond” will be conducted by the instructor on November 6. You can find more information on that free-session and register to attend by going here. The full 2-day course will be offered starting December 5. You can read more about the full course, and register to attend, by going here. Please consider one or both of these exciting possibilities.
The majority of the information comes from satellites that infer the shape of the ocean bottom from the shape of the water surface above. However, satellite are not flying a mission specifically dedicated to the task of mapping the ocean floor. A mission like that is estimated to cost $100m and none of the governments are willing to commit to this endeavor. We know more about the surface of Saturn of Jupiter than our own waters. The best way to map the ocean floor is through a modern swath-mapping echosounder system. It would take 20 dedicated ships 10 years to complete this task. This could be achieved for about $3bn. It sounds like a lot but a lot of disasters could be avoided. Think of the nuclear submarine USS San Francisco that crashed into a seamount in 2005.
The mystery of the missing Malaysia Airline flight MH370 is closer to being solved as authorities have revealed that they have tracked the final unexplained signal emitted by the jet, to the same point in the Indian Ocean, where the jet was believed to have crashed. Time will tell whether this is a definitive lead or a false alarm. We all hope it is the beginning to a successful answer.
Calling the latest development a promising lead, retired Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, who is leading the search, said that an Australian navy ship had detected two sets of pulse signals that sounded just like an emergency locator beacon.
While the first set was heard on Saturday and lasted for two hours and 20 minutes, the Ocean Shield ship then lost contact with the “pings” but turned around and later heard further signals for 13 minutes, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.
However, the ship lost contact again and has been trying to relocate the signals.
Houston said that in the search so far it is probably the best information that the team has had, adding that the search team is encouraged that it is very close to where it needs to be.
He added that he would want more confirmation before he could say ‘this is it’.
Here is a list of the equipment that is being employed by the searchers.
If you find this information useful, please mention
U.S. Navy-trained dolphins and sea lions have helped detect and disable underwater mines for decades. But a growing swarm of robots will allow the Navy’s squads of sea mammals to begin retiring by 2017, the Navy says.
The sea mammals have used their natural sonar or low-light vision to help detect mine threats and even call out enemy divers since the 1960s — dolphins in particular helped mark mines during the Persian Gulf War and Iraq War. Their exemplary service is drawing to a close as the Navy turns to a growing fleet of cheaper robots to do the job.
Navy-trained sea mammals underwent different types of training depending on their capabilities. For instance, dolphins used their biological sonar to detect the location of sea mines so that they could report back to human handlers with yes or no responses. They could also mark mine locations with buoy lines, or even prepare to disable the mines by attaching explosive charges to them.
The impending retirement of the Navy’s sea mammals is part of the broader trend of the U.S. military using robots. Navy efforts include testing robot boats armed with missiles and experimenting with its large X-47B drone capable of taking off from the decks of aircraft carriers.
Video Clip: 
Submarine Modernization
This CDS manages input from an integrated digital upgrade of the AN-UYS-2 Acoustic Signal Processors with their Expanded Directional Frequency Analysis and Recording System.
The Torpedo Fire Control System, TFCS, is on a high-speed data bus with a distributed architecture for redundancy.
The TFCS is programmed with advanced algorithms for Target Motion Analysis, TMA, and is operated from multi-function consoles that also are used for information management.
Plot—to determine Bearing-Rate.
The Type 214 is 213 feet in length with a submerged displacement of 1860 dwt. They are equipped with two 120-kW Siemens AIP, Air-Independent Propulsion, fuel-cell power units, as well as two 1,000-kW diesel generator sets.
The first of four Type 214 submarines for the Greek Navy, the Papanikolis, is pictured above just after delivery and christening at Howaldtswerke Deutsche Werft (HDW), Kiel, on 22 April 2004. The Papanikolis will be followed by three sisters on order from HDW’s subsidiary Hellenic Shipyard at Skaramanga, Greece, namely, the Pipinos, Matrozos, and Katsonis. The Pipinos is planned to complete in September 2005. Currently, three of Greece’s four German Type 209/1200 submarines also are being back-fitted with fuel-cell AIP during refits ordered in June 2002.
Portugal ordered two German Type 209-PN submarines on 21 April 2004. These submarines too will have Siemens AIP systems installed as well as their original diesel-electric generator sets. The first of these is to be delivered in 2009, and the second a year later. Both are estimated to bill at $490-million each. Apparently, the pair is intended to replace two vintage-1960 French-made Daphne Class boats, which are to be retired in 2006.
In mid-July 2004, a photograph of a submarine underway on its own power standing out from China’s Wuhan shipyard—some 420 miles inland from Shanghai—was posted on a Chinese Internet site. The following is a paraphrasing of an article published in The Washington Times as written by Bill Gertz on July 16, 2004.
Reportedly, a US DOD official confirmed that the photographed submarine is the lead ship of China’s new YUAN-Class submarine. Its design can be categorized as a combination of indigenous Chinese hardware and Russian weapons.
The PRC’s public exposure of this new class of submarine leads some US defense analysts to opine that China may be building up its naval forces in preparation for an armed confrontation with the US-supported ROC on Taiwan.
These US analysts suggest that Chinese militarists may have decided that submarines are the PRC’s first-line of warships for defying US aircraft carriers.
Moreover, China also is building two nuclear-powered submarines—one Type 093 fast-attack submarine similar to the Russian VICTOR-III Class, and one Type 094 intercontinental ballistic missile submarine—which should be ready for deployment next year.
It is believed that in the coming months the US will continue to strengthen naval forces in the Pacific by the forward deployment of up to six additional nuclear-powered submarines to Guam, and an aircraft carrier naval battler group to the South China.
Unlike the quotes attributed to Mister Richard Fisher, the outspoken former White-House advisor and now billed as a “Specialist” on the Chinese military, my take is more like one from a warfare realist:
In God We Trust
