A submarine’s acoustic signature, or sound profile, has important implications for its combat operations. The acoustic signature is the sound its machinery and propeller make during operation. Just like humans, each submarine has a unique “voice.” Each submarine’s acoustic signature is different, even for different submarines of the same class. In underwater combat conditions, a vessel can only be detected by sonar, so underwater combat could be called acoustic warfare. Consequently, a submarine’s acoustic signature is an important way of identifying it.
