Designing naval surface warships for modern ASW with networked sensors

The Australian government is weighing up its options when it comes to the anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capability requirements for the forthcoming decision on Project SEA 5000—the multi-billion-dollar future frigate project. The proliferation of submarines in the Indo-Pacific certainly warrants close attention being paid to this decision. For starters, we need a clear understanding that ASW is about much more than just what can be expected from only one of many surface warships, no matter how sophisticated the fit-out. But who understands this esoteric field? The one-on-one hunter–killer scenario we sometimes think of from World War II or early in the Cold War is no longer what can be expected. Now, submarines are even harder to detect and, as a result, the World War II concept of a single ship hunting a submarine is of limited utility. With only on-board sensors available to conduct detection work, the submarine would always have an advantage. Building on evolved capabilities, ASW today involves coordinating a suite of networked sensors that involve sonar and electromagnetic sensors aloft, on the surface, and underwater to detect, track, deter, and potentially attack hostile submarines.