Active scans now available
alexp's picture
Posted on:
Saturday, April 16, 2022 - 13:52

The active scan system has been deployed, adding a new tool for tactical sensor operations.

Technically active scan is designated as a science system but it can be utilised by the tactical team as well. By “pinging” the TOE, the tactical team can get a snapshot of TSMO positions – at the expense of effectively giving away our own position because of the EM emitted by the scanning process.

In the meantime, a narrowband track can be initiated directly from the active scan panel allowing a good operator to get a track off the scan. Speed is required though as active scans are ‘snapshots’ – the position of TSMOs is not updated on the scan - meaning a TSMO could easily move far enough from its scanned position to avoid a narrowband track.

Despite the limitations, an active scan can be tactically useful under the right circumstances by narrowing down an otherwise difficult EMDAR search. If the scanning vessel is moving quickly enough and combines the scan with a heading change (the scan EM masking engine EM) it could conceivably have moved far enough from the scan position to avoid an attempted return narrowband track by an opposing TSMO.

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