Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW SWC)

Large frigates and destroyers are built for the open ocean and cannot operate safely or usefully in shallow coastal waters, where their draught is too deep and their hull-mounted sonars perform poorly against the seabed clutter. ASW SWCs are small, shallow-draught vessels designed specifically for that littoral zone - hunting submarines close to the coast, conducting underwater surveillance, laying mines, running search-and-rescue and carrying out low-intensity maritime operations. Waterjet propulsion is chosen instead of conventional propellers because it needs less depth and gives far better manoeuvrability in confined coastal water.