How useful would BAE's Kingfisher 5-inch gun-launched anti-submarine munition be?
Short answerIt could provide a comparatively inexpensive way to seed an area against uncrewed underwater vehicles and force them into deeper, more difficult operating profiles.
NotesKingfisher's proposed anti-submarine role draws particular interest as a way to counter uncrewed underwater vehicles. A surface ship could fire multiple munitions into an area at useful range, potentially at lower cost than other weapons. The threat could force underwater vehicles below the easier operating conditions of the upper 50 metres. The engineering penalties of deeper operation are not specified in detail. Its expected value includes restricting where drones can operate, as well as attacking them.