Graham O,
Genuine question. What "existing" something did you have in mind for weaponry?
Especially given that your MPA/UAV package might be conducting autonomous operations (a choke point perhaps) some distance from land or other UK/NATO maritime assets.
ASW weapons don't have a particularly large area of effect. As with many/most weapon systems, maintaining tracking of a submarine and obtaining a sufficiently accurate attack solution are not necessarily the same thing. The ability to "find, fix and strike" in one platform (UAV package?) is better than trying to maintain tracking while you bring out an attack asset, from what is potentially a long way away, and risk losing the target while you wait for the weapons to arrive. Also, if your MPA/UAV package conducts it's own attack as soon as possible, it is immediately available to re-commence searching for new targets.
Last edited by Biggus; 11th Dec 2012 at 09:41.