Sonar Technicians (ST) in the STS service rating they are faced with something of a dilemma. While one of their goals is to ensure the submarine’s sonic footprint is as small as possible, detecting and analyzing contacts means they must use active sonar systems that send out pings that can potentially be traced back to the source. But even when they aren’t sending out active sonar signals, the nuclear submarines that make up the Navy’s underwater combat fleet generate considerable noise. First-generation nuclear submarines generated enough noise, in fact, to be detected by underwater sonar arrays at distances of up to six-hundred miles.
While sonar systems such as the AN/BQQ-5 (deployed on Sturgeon- and Los Angeles-class submarines) and the AN/BQQ-5E (Los Angeles- and Ohio-class) were far ahead of the systems found on equivalent submarine in other country’s fleets, the Navy has been constantly seeking ways to simultaneously improve sonar detection and reduce submarine noise.
In 2014, the Navy began outfitting a Virginia-Class submarine, the attack sub USS South Dakota, with three significant makeovers. The first was a large vertical array for its sonar, designed to drastically increase its detection capabilities. (A similar array was installed on the Ohio-class submarine USS Maryland). Second, the South Dakota was covered with newly developed coating materials created to lessen the noises that a nuclear-powered submarine inherently makes just by operating—turbines inside the ship powering various types of equipment, for instance. Lastly, about a dozen noise-reducing technologies were being tested in the engine room, a source of considerable amounts of sound that powerful passive sonar displays can detect and, in conjunction with other sonars, determine a vessel’s location through triangulation.
As the U.S. turns its attention to the Pacific, the need for stealth in the face of aggressive Chinese posturing is paramount, and the addition of technologies and equipment that keeps U.S. submarines at the forefront of stealthy maneuvers cannot be overstated.
Related Items
Sonar Technician (ST) Rating Badge
Sonar Technician (ST) Ball Cap Device
CWO Electronics Technician
Hard Shoulder Boards
Soft Epaulets
Sleeve Device
Collar Device
CWO Operations Technician (STG only)
Hard Shoulder Boards
Soft Epaulets
Sleeve Device
Collar Device