For redland helos to search for us at low altitude, they might
as well use shipborne radar. If the Helo stays low, it sees
only as much as the ship does, hence it has to fly higher to look
for the Formidable frigates.
Second thing is a tactical consideration. The Helo chopper
has a significantly smaller radar than that thing mounted on the
Formidable. The moment the chopper starts searching with his
radar, ESM equipment on the frigate will light up, and the
integrated system will provide the Formidable an "accurate"
position of where the chopper is, and direct the radar to look for
it there.
Here's where the stealth part gets fun. Assuming that our
vaunted stealth capability is true, that we look like a fishing
boat on radar, the chopper radar is gonna have to sort through the
clutter of returns to look for the right fishing boat to shoot at
and return the information to the host frigate.
By then, we'd probably have an Aster or AMRAAM in the air.
Remember, our E-2Cs and G550s are gonna be under a JOINT Air
Land Sea command structure. Also, my understanding is that
the Aster is strictly for missile intercepts... though I cannot
confirm this. However, logical understanding is that, AShMs launch
platforms don't need to get within 40km to shoot you; the only
hostile object "dumb" enough to get that close would be
missiles.
Theoretically speaking, our Formidables don't even have to turn
on their Air Search Radar to recieve an Air Picture of the
situation. So even if they have their helos up and about
doing an EO passive search, they are still being tracked by the eye
in the sky, aka Sauron.
So far, my understanding is that the RSAF will ensure that
nothing of theirs flies. So we can effectively take Helos out
of the OTOH search equations.
