Range of sonobouys

[spookyer]

What detection ranges do sonobouys have, obviously it depends on how much noise the target is making as well but overall what it their performance like?

[Luidzi]

It depends on their position (above/below layer), orientation of submarine (front/side/rear), speed and quietness of submarine, weather (I think) and depth.

Roughly estimated - expect much worse than actually stated. 5nm, the most often stated value, may be true for a sub during transit. In a simulated littoral situation, stationary quiet diesel sub was undetetectable by passive sonobuoys and 1000m by active, at 2kts it was 1,2 nm for DIFAR and 1000m (same) for DICASS.

[spookyer]

Thanks for that. I was in an Improved LA class the other day and bouys were dropping around me and I didn't know whether I was in their detection radius or not so didn't know if I should be reacting.