Sikorsky SH-60 vs MH-60R

[F/A-18 Super Bug]

So I was doing a bit of searching and researching and I'm surprised that the Seahawks we use today on our surface fleet don't carry any aerial torpedos. So I realise that technically our territorial borders only extend 22 km but what would we (RAN) do if we picked up a Chinese sub in our waters with a dipping sonar?

"The new Seahawk MH-60R fleet also intended to provide a ''surface strike'' capability with onboard air-to-surface missiles to attack hostile submarines."

Australia upgrades ASW capabilities

So we're going to start carrying aerial torpedoes now like the Mk 46 as well as an ability to fire air-to-surface missiles? (I wonder what type) . Sounds like an awesome idea and give way more range rather than relying on the Collins class subs (3 at best) to protect our borders and probably more importantly protect our huge LHDs coming soon.

[Martin Edwards]

...don't forget that the AP-3C Orion is a mighty capable sub-killer!

[Luig]

'cold dawg' asked: "...but what would we (RAN) do if we picked up a Chinese sub in our waters with a dipping sonar?"

Because this is peacetime the RAN would track any submarine it finds for as long as possible. Submarines do not like to be detected so it will likely attempt to evade detection. The game begins.... However a political decision may be made to stop tracking the submarine or it just may escape eventually.

I think you need to comprehend how vast/deep the oceans are 'cold dawg'.

[Rod Farquhar]

I remember one Rimpac (75or76) we (11Sqn) tracked a USN nuke for three days until they politely told us to "Go away".
As Martin said Orions are quite capable of looking after our maritime borders way out past them in fact.
Rod