What system is used to detect submarines and underwater threats?

Sonar systems are specifically designed for detecting submarines and underwater threats. They utilize sound propagation to navigate, communicate, or detect objects under the surface of the water. The key principle behind sonar is that it sends out sound waves and listens for their echoes to determine the presence, distance, and shape of submerged objects.

Sonar is particularly effective in underwater environments due to the way sound travels through water, which is much more efficient than radar waves in detecting submerged challenges. This makes sonar an indispensable tool for naval operations involving submarines and other underwater threats.

Other systems like radar are predominantly utilized in air and surface detection and are not effective underwater, while ballistic systems are related to missile operations, and optical systems primarily rely on visible light for detection and targeting, which is unsuitable for underwater use.