The convoy's defenses matter even when they do not score an immediate kill. A Soviet commander who has already evaded a P-3 must decide whether the contacts ahead conceal more aircraft, helicopters, and towed-array escorts. Submarine command is unusually isolated because transmitting home can reveal the boat's position, leaving the captain to assemble incomplete acoustic information alone. Repeated harassment can therefore make a surviving commander hesitate or break off before reaching firing position. This psychological pressure is one reason exercise results based only on weapon performance can overstate attack effectiveness.
Notable Point · 2:14:34-2:16:47
ASW pressure attacks a submarine commander's confidence
Repeated detection by patrol aircraft, helicopters, and towed arrays can make a surviving submarine commander hesitate before approaching a convoy.