PN, submarine launch of a SAM requires a long time at PD to acquire and track before launch. I suspect the balance of probability of a successful attack remains with the MPA.
Counter detection is an issue but good awareness of tgt position and ac positioning goes a long way to mitigating this.
A sub launched GPS jammer could easily screw up a many systems.
Also, in the littoral, RFI becomes a significant issue as sonobuoy RF channels are shared with other users. Indeed in the UK they are not supposed to be used within 50nm of the coast. This comes as a surprise to most. The way to mitigate RFI is ac positioning, directional receivers and operating as low as possible.
Compromise will always be a factor in any MPA design. The UK needs to ensure it truly understands its requirements and the cost benefit of each solution. Platform performance must be matched to sensor performance. Radar performance at high level will have significant issues, especially detections close in.
Visual ID and inspection is important in peacetime and in war. 8/8 of cloud drives MPA below the cloud base. Radar imagining will not show the detail required. Can you see if a fishing boat is fishing, can you see ladders and weapons associated with piracy etc.
The ability to operate at low level is really important, so is speed, range and endurance, but so are cost of ownership, op sovereignty, the ability to quickly add UOR capability, flexibility of operating base, interoperability, etc etc. Of all the factors listed above cost is unfortunately the biggest factor, a fleet of less than 12 ac will just be tokenism.
Last edited by Jet In Vitro; 21st Jun 2015 at 10:29.