When could sonar drones replace towed arrays?

Could stand-off sensor and drone groups replace towed arrays?

Probably eventually, but recurring five-year forecasts make the timing doubtful.

Stand-off sensor and drone groups offer a plausible eventual alternative to towed arrays. The uncertainty concerns when they will become a dependable replacement. Promises that the technology is only five years away have recurred for roughly fifteen to twenty years. That history makes another short transition forecast difficult to trust.