Jump in capability of Anti-Submarine Missiles.

[Listy]

The last thought in post #13 answers that question quite nicely, maybe there are local targetting sources that can point to where the sub went.

Presumes an in-flight re-targetting capability which is secure and a very sophisticated battlespace C2.

Ahh but here comes the crunch. Is it not easier, quicker, cheaper and more efficient for the source tracking the target to drop a weapon itself?

Lets say you have a high value target, with an escorting helicopter. The helicopter picks up a hostile sub.

Option one:
Drop a couple of torps immediately.

Option two:
Phone up HQ, request a fancy missile. Hope they're not all tasked to other roles or VOR.
Wait 10mins+, providing a track on the target, hoping your Datalink doesn't get jammed, no equipment fails or you loose the lock.
Pray your Helicopter doesn't get hit by the incoming missile.
Then if you miss, start all over again.

I'm not saying you couldn't technically do the missile, but I'm asking if you should. Especially if it relies on assets already on scene, which is almost certainly able to carry weaponry itself.

 

[aardvark64]

Ahh but here comes the crunch. Is it not easier, quicker, cheaper and more efficient for the source tracking the target to drop a weapon itself?

Lets say you have a high value target, with an escorting helicopter. The helicopter picks up a hostile sub.

Option one:
Drop a couple of torps immediately.

Option two:
Phone up HQ, request a fancy missile. Hope they're not all tasked to other roles or VOR.
Wait 10mins+, providing a track on the target, hoping your Datalink doesn't get jammed, no equipment fails or you loose the lock.
Pray your Helicopter doesn't get hit by the incoming missile.
Then if you miss, start all over again.

I'm not saying you couldn't technically do the missile, but I'm asking if you should. Especially if it relies on assets already on scene, which is almost certainly able to carry weaponry itself.

Ah, but which one wins the game of "Top Trumps - International Prestige Edition" ?

Just because you can, doesn't mean you should

[I strongly suspect we're vehemently agreeing here, by the way]

 

[Resasi]

In-flight updates from "nearer" sonar sources would be very advanced indeed.

Advanced but happening.

In flight sonar communications with Poseidon at high altitude are already operational.

StackPath

Passing information between aircraft and missiles is already happening. Data link architecture is advancing rapidly and the use of local sensor information being relayed back to missile batteries, and in flight correction is being researched by various countries.

U.S. Navy links Standard Missile-6 with F-35 Joint Strike Fighter in first-of-a-kind flight test | Raytheon

The Investor Relations website contains information about Raytheon's business for stockholders, potential investors, and financial analysts.

investor.raytheon.com

Drones or other long range aircraft can seek submarines then call in fire from missile batteries situated miles away on ships, shore, or islands.

 

[Civvy Scum]

Ahh but here comes the crunch. Is it not easier, quicker, cheaper and more efficient for the source tracking the target to drop a weapon itself?

Lets say you have a high value target, with an escorting helicopter. The helicopter picks up a hostile sub.

Option one:
Drop a couple of torps immediately.

Option two:
Phone up HQ, request a fancy missile. Hope they're not all tasked to other roles or VOR.
Wait 10mins+, providing a track on the target, hoping your Datalink doesn't get jammed, no equipment fails or you loose the lock.
Pray your Helicopter doesn't get hit by the incoming missile.
Then if you miss, start all over again.

I'm not saying you couldn't technically do the missile, but I'm asking if you should. Especially if it relies on assets already on scene, which is almost certainly able to carry weaponry itself.

Alternatively, perhaps you've got a UAV that's dropped a load of sonobouys whilst on patrol that has picked up the submarine but the UAV isn't equipped with torpedoes. Then the long range missile might make sense. Particularly if you've got a number of UAVs forming some sort of long distance ASW barrier? Saves you the cost of buying and operating lots of long range MRPAs?

The UAV control centre being the same place that has control over the long range missile of course.

 

[Slime]

Ahh but here comes the crunch. Is it not easier, quicker, cheaper and more efficient for the source tracking the target to drop a weapon itself?

Lets say you have a high value target, with an escorting helicopter. The helicopter picks up a hostile sub.

Option one:
Drop a couple of torps immediately.

Option two:
Phone up HQ, request a fancy missile. Hope they're not all tasked to other roles or VOR.
Wait 10mins+, providing a track on the target, hoping your Datalink doesn't get jammed, no equipment fails or you loose the lock.
Pray your Helicopter doesn't get hit by the incoming missile.
Then if you miss, start all over again.

I'm not saying you couldn't technically do the missile, but I'm asking if you should. Especially if it relies on assets already on scene, which is almost certainly able to carry weaponry itself.

Your last sentence contains something possibly very relevant.

Being able to swap an expensive medium/large size helicopter for a very small helicopter could be very handy.
If a small helicopter could call on 10-20 missiles from the ship it launched from it could be much more potent than a larger and more expensive helicopter only able to carry two torpedos itself.

Add to this that four ships in a flotilla could launch four helicopters that could still call on 10-20 missiles and thats a potent force, plus it could keep the missiles in a central location and out of the harsh salty sea air.

Imagine something like a wildcat being able to target and ‘fire’ ten torpedos in one sortee as opposed to making five round trips that entailed refuelling and rearming.

 

[truck_trasher]

As mentioned, the detection system and the missile launch-location don't have to be the same place. Aren't there arrays of seabed detection systems, for example? It is pretty simple to have lots of semi-autonomous sono-buoy floaty things too, much larger and with longer duration than the small drone or heli dropped devices . . . The missiles could be on the coast, and hence unsinkable -- put the launchers on wheels and keep them away fgrom the telemetry-stations doing the communicating (also potentially on wheels) and you have the beginnings of an interesting system.

 

[ABNredleg]

On a related issue, one role the much maligned littoral combat ship is being used for is deploying mobile seabed sonar arrays. A long range ASW missile might be valuable in such a situation.