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Is it normal for an early 80's PIPRS sensor on a creeping sub at -400ft to detect airplane sounds at distances of +50nm or so?

See picture. Locate the Oberon Class sub off the coast of Vietnam

[EDIT: SAVE file now uploaded]

Since the PIPRS's whole reason to be is detecting active sonar pings then IDing them, I would assume its detecting the ping from a dipping sonar. And yes, if conditions are right, its plausible.

btw, if you had posted a save, some smart person could have looked to see what that helo was actually doing. And not just guess.

thewood1 wrote: Wed May 27, 2026 11:39 pm btw, if you had posted a save, some smart person could have looked to see what that helo was actually doing. And not just guess.

The forum was unwilling to accept (my) zip uploads last night. I will try again this evening.

I did not think of the explanation that detections are dipping sonars. That could be it. I will look the save if this could be the case. However, I would expect the detection message to be different - that an active sonar was detected rather than an unknow air contact (bogey).

I have now uploaded a save at the original post

It is indeed the sonar of the aircraft what is detected.

In this case a dipping sonar of the helo Mi-14PLM Haze A.

Nikel wrote: Thu May 28, 2026 7:31 pm It is indeed the sonar of the aircraft what is detected.

In this case a dipping sonar of the helo Mi-14PLM Haze A.


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Yes indeed. Thanks. It seems to be so. I was confused because the sub' log was classifying the contact not as an active sonar, but as a "bogey"

Perhaps on the right panel the info should not be unknown type, but automatically classified as ASW.

Because if you detect a sonar from an air contact, it is performing ASW, is it not?

Nikel wrote: Fri May 29, 2026 7:36 am Perhaps on the right panel the info should not be unknown type, but automatically classified as ASW.

Because if you detect a sonar from an air contact, it is performing ASW, is it not?

The question (my question) is does a sub that detects a far away active sonar know whether the contact is of a ship or of a asw helo? If not, the player receives more information that he deserves. That was my point.

You may ask the AI how they know it. Chatgpt created this table with some details.

Knightpawn wrote: Fri May 29, 2026 7:50 am

Nikel wrote: Fri May 29, 2026 7:36 am Perhaps on the right panel the info should not be unknown type, but automatically classified as ASW.

Because if you detect a sonar from an air contact, it is performing ASW, is it not?

The question (my question) is does a sub that detects a far away active sonar know whether the contact is of a ship or of a asw helo? If not, the player receives more information that he deserves. That was my point.

Large navies have sonar classification databases built specifically for this.

@Nikel & @thewood1

Thanks

"Γηράσκω αεί διδασκόμενος" (I grow older always learning)