Italy developed a working sonar system and tested it aboard a small anti-submarine vessel, yet could not produce enough sets for its escorts. The same industrial source also supplied submarine equipment, and submarine demand absorbed the available output. Treaty-compliant escorts therefore existed without the detection gear needed to make them effective in numbers. The shortfall arose from procurement and production rather than a complete lack of technical knowledge.
Notable Point · 26:58-28:31
Why Italian escort sonar did not scale
Italy possessed a tested sonar design and suitable escort hulls, but its production choices left too few sets for a fleet-wide anti-submarine capability.