Thayer Consultancy Background Briefing:

ABN # 65 648 097 123

Vietnam: Acoustic Signatures
and Kilo Submarines
Carlyle A. Thayer
May 8, 2017

[client name deleted]

The link below leads to an article in which expressed an assessment about Vietnam's
Kilo-class submarine:.
http://soha.vn/chuyen-gia-my-uc-voi-6-tau-ngam-kilo-hai-quan-viet-nam-vao-top-
manh-nhat-dong-nam-a-20170301192148503.htm
In that email, you wrote that "Vietnams submarine forces needs to develop an
acoustic library of the sounds of surface ships picked up by sonar. This will enable
Vietnam to distinguish between foreign warships from different countries and
distinguish between the sounds of different commercial vessels that transit the South
China Sea. This information is needed if Vietnam is forced to defend itself in a conflict.
The Varshavyanka-class are known for their stealth but without a acoustic library they
will have difficulty in targeting hostile ships."
We request further elaboration on "acoustic library of the sounds of surface ships".
We request your assessment of the following:
1. How can the "acoustic library of the sounds of surface ships" help submarines
distinguish ships from different countries?
2. How other countries build that acoustic library? Can you give some examples? (US,
Russia or China...)
3. Is there any model or experience that Vietnam can learn to build the acoustic
library?
4. Do you have any advice for Vietnam People's Navy (VPN) if they want to build that
acoustic library? How should they begin?
5. Besides the acoustic library, are there any other methods for Kilo-class submarines
to distinguish foreign surface ships and detect hostile ships?
6. You just mention about "acoustic library of the sounds of surface ships". So what
about distinguishing friendly and hostile submarines?
ASSESSMENT: Let me just say something in general. Submarines are effective weapons
systems because of their stealth characteristics. A Captain of a submarine must be
certain what his target is before firing a torpedo or missile. The South China Sea is
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congested and it is difficult to tell from under the water which ships are transiting.
One way is to raise th periscope to sight the ships, determine which one is the target
and work out a firing solution - direction, speed etc. of a torpedo or missile. But a
raised periscope can be detected by radar and the submarine loses its stealth.
Every ship and submarine in the water or under the water makes different sounds as
its travels that are unique to that ship. This is called its acoustic signature. There are
three general sources of sounds from ships and submarines: (1) noise made by
machinery operating on the ship or submarine such as its engine, air pumps, and
propeller, (2) cavitation noise caused by the water and bubbles churned by the
propeller as it drives a ship or submarine forward; and (3) hydrodynamic noise caused
by the passage of a ship or submarine's hull through the water. Thjse sounds can be
detected buy passive sonar that gathers and records these sounds.
A submarine can record these sounds and match them to a particular ship. An
experienced operator can easily tell which ship is sailing above.
An acoustic library is a collection of recorded sounds kept by a submarine to assist in
targeting. The acoustic library is built up over time by constantly patrolling and
recording a ship's noise. In times of conflict a submarine captain can fire a torpedo or
missile without raising the sub's periscope bu using data on the speed and direction
of the target and its acoustic signature.This is complicated as different kinds of
torpedoes and missiles have different characteristics. Some torpedoes follow the
wake of a ship on the surface. Missiles launched from beneath the sea can lock on to
a target electronically.
Acoustic libraries can differentiate between one ship and another but should
recordings on their own can not tell which country's ship is making the sound. To
create an effective acoustic library all of Vietnam's submarines would have to conduct
repeated constant patrols and follow foreign warships to pick up their sound
signatures. But information captured from below the surface needs to be matched by
confirmed sighting above the surface. Vietnam would need to use drones, maritime
patrol aircraft and/or surface ships to confirm the target ship.
Countries with long-established submarine fleets gather acoustic sound intelligence
by constantly patrolling even passing under the surface ship. Submarines lurk off naval
ports and follow ships as they exit.
Russia and India could provide Vietnam with the appropriate advice on the technology
of capturing ships' sounds. If Russia had maintained a constant submarine presence in
East Asia after the collapse of the Soviet Union, it could have provided Vietnam a copy
of its acoustic library. This is highly unlikely because such information is sensitive. And
Russia does not appear to have been active in submarine patrols in the South China
Sea. Its libraries would be outdated.
Acoustic libraries can also be created for other submarines. This is more difficult
because you have to locate a target submarine first without giving yourself away.
Experienced sonar operators learn the patrol patterns of their opposite numbers. But
this type of knowledge and experience can only be gained through constant practice.
The acoustic library serves as a reference point when a ship's should is heard by a
submarine.
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Vietnam will need to create a specialised unit to develop this military skill. Experience
matters so it is necessary to recruit and retain submariners for this task. One way for
Vietnam to start is to practice on its warships using all classes of ships and boats.
Eventually, Vietnam and its strategic partners who operate submarines, can plan
exercises to master their skills but this is not likely until deep trust has been built up.
There is no reason that Vietnam could not approach friendly states to share
experiences.

Suggested citation: Carlyle A. Thayer, Vietnam: Acoustic Signatures and Kilo

Submarines, Thayer Consultancy Background Brief, May 8, 2017. All background
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