From what I know about submarines, they can only detect what’s on the two sides of them and in front. IN order to detect what’s behind them, they have to turn around. They also would be slower to turn around than a whale or other marine animal. I’d put my money on the marine animal getting away.

Whales were mistaken for submarines and killed by torpedoes during the Falkland’s War.

They were launched from a frigate, but I’d expect modern submarines with even more advanced detection systems would probably be at least as effective.

My mind chooses not to go into thinking about how to kill whales or other marine life.

I’m pretty sure they already do this quite effectively.

If that was the intent of the subs, they could do it easily.
For example, a near explosion would cripple a whale, leaving it unable to fend off a coup de grace.

The Red October would

@gorillapaws I only read the first part in italics – that was enough to know I don’t want to learn more. :`(

Every time they announce that N. Korea is ‘testing’ missiles I think of all of the poor marine animals.

@jca2… Crazy Ivan!

@smudges I can’t really vouch for the science. I’m not an expert nor well-read, so it’s possible that the jury is still out on the effects of naval sonar on marine life behavior. It’s heartbreaking for sure.

@jca2 I was thinking the same thing. We do “Crazy Ivans” with my dog when he gets too far ahead of us on the leash to train him not to pull.

Speaking as one that served on a submarine, I can tell you that the sonar techs listen to all sorts of marine life. Based on the sounds, they can pretty much tell a direction and distance the sound is coming from. If necessary they could “ping” the object (whale) to figure out exactly where it is. A torpedo could likely be set to hit the whale.

@seawulf575 Are “Crazy Ivans” fictional?

“Crazy Ivan was a Russian submarine manoeuvre in the Cold War, popularised in the The Hunt for Red October, in which a rogue Soviet sub-commander from Dundee would unexpectedly turn hard left to “clear his baffles” and ascertain whether he was being followed.Dec 18, 2021.”

If I’m not mistaken, I believe that the sonar systems of a modern submarine are extremely powerful.
A powerful “ping” is said to be able to blow the eardrums of a submerged animal.
The Chinese recently “accidentally” pinged some Australian Navy divers, and injured them.
Animal activists blame whale beaching on submarine behavior.
I don’t believe any actual weapons would be necessary.

@gorillapaws I couldn’t say for sure. I was on a special boat and we didn’t tail soviet subs. But I will say that, as @jca2 mentioned, there is a “blind spot” behind the sub while it is moving. Too much noise and interference from the engineroom/propellers. So turning sharply is one way to verify what is behind you.

@MrGrimm888 it is indeed powerful. And depending on how close you are could also impact how much impact it will have on you. I do remember one time we were in port and there was a sub moored a little behind us. They had just had work done on their sonar system and they had to test it out and make adjustments. So they pinged our sub…over and over and over. It was annoying. Being inside the big metal tube protected us from the full force. Picture living next to a church that rings its bell every few minutes for about 4 hours. That’s about what we heard. After a while it just got on your nerves!

@seawulf575 Does the ping from a sub sound like it does in film? Or is it a different sound?

Pretty much like it does on film. They add a bit of echo effect on film, but other than that it’s pretty accurate.