Nice work! Unlike the last submarine, this one was a real threat. Engaging with ASROC allowed us to engage while keeping out of range of the submarines torpedoes.

Your embarked ASW helicopter is now readying for action in our final serial. Ship-borne ASW helicopters can be broadly categorised as hunters, killers, and hunter-killers. Hunters are equipped with sensors that enable them to independently detect, track and identify submarines. Killers are equipped with weapons that enable them to destroy detected submarines. Hunter-killers are equipped with both sensors and weapons. Hunter-killers are by far the most common configuration for modern ASW aircraft, and pure hunter aircraft are almost unheard of since the late 1970's.

Let's take a look at the aircraft we have at our disposal. Open the Air Ops window by pressing F6 and click on the hyperlinked aircraft type to open its database entry. We've embarked a Lynx Mk300 that is equipped with radar, FLIR, ESM/ELINT, DECM and MAD. Of these sensors, the radar may catch an unlucky submarine at periscope depth, the ELINT may detect a careless submarine using its radar, the FLIR might detect a snorkelling diesel sub, and the MAD may pick up a relatively large submarine that is operating at shallow depth in deep water--none of these are exactly great situations to rely on for detecting a submarine in the expanses of the ocean.

Examining the equipped loadout reveals that our helicopter is also equipped with LWTs and a few active-only sonobuoys. Active-only sonobuoys have short range and can be easily detected (and therefore avoided) by submarines. They may be effective at scaring off a potential threat submarine, but they are not effective for area search.

Based on all of this, we can deduce that our embarked ASW helicopter is suited to the killer role. Its sensors are adequate to localise a contact detected by other platforms and it carries weapons to attack if the contact is deemed to be hostile. It does not, however, have sensors that are effective at area search. In our current situation--a lone surface ship with a killer-type ASW helicopter conducting open-water ASW--it is highly recommended that the helicopter be kept on deck until an underwater contact is detected by the surface ship. Once it is assessed that the contact is likely a submarine, the helicopter is launched to localise and destroy the probable submarine.

Plot a course to RP Foxtrot to the west, where another old, noisy nuclear attack submarine is on patrol. Manage your speed and sensors in order to detect the submarine operating within 12nm of RP Foxtrot. Leave your helicopter to continue readying for the moment--it will become available automatically when you need it.