Anti-submarine warfare lends itself to a mixed formation rather than an all-or-nothing replacement. A crewed helicopter can provide command and judgment while distributed uncrewed aircraft place sensors and weapons over a much larger area. Combining magnetic anomaly detectors, dipping sonar, sonobuoys, and torpedoes from several directions makes concealment harder for a submarine. The arrangement resembles HMS Starling leading a coordinated group of anti-submarine sloops during the Second World War.
Chapter · 1:16:21-1:17:52
A crewed helicopter leading an uncrewed ASW pack
One crewed helicopter could coordinate several drones carrying magnetic detectors, dipping sonar, sonobuoys, or torpedoes across a wider search area.