[NMR Guy]

While this may very well be a big goof or failure on our part, I’d also have to think that it might be to our advantage to let them think we can’t detect their subs.

[maine-iac7]

Ahhh - sneaky = that would be a smart move - then we could track them when they think they’re safe and we can know what they’re too and when

[BBell]

“I’d also have to think that it might be to our advantage to let them think we can’t detect their subs”

My thoughts too. I was having a conversation the other night with a former sailor and I mentioned that maybe we knew they were there all along and we didn’t let on so they would become overconfident and allow us to track them, not knowingly of course. It would be a great way to gather intelligence, even if we do have to lose face doing it.

[Rb ver. 2.0]

“I’d also have to think that it might be to our advantage to let them think we can’t detect their subs.”

I like your way of thinking. It leads to a possible explanation of the statement posted below from the article, which to me seems a manufactured response to a “Duh, that’s what subs do” question:

“It also led to tense diplomatic exchanges, with shaken American diplomats demanding to know why the submarine was “shadowing” the U.S. fleet while Beijing pleaded ignorance and dismissed the affair as coincidence”