Perhaps the biggest challenge in the game is to locate enemy targets, in order to understand the threats they pose to the forces being commanded. The nature of threat comes from three possible locations: in the air, from the sea and under the sea. There are numerous ways to find where the enemy's forces are located.
The easiest way to achieve this is to scout for them using any vessel in the fleet, though this predominately the role of aircraft. In addition to just covering ground aircraft fitted with AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) can be used to scan the battle space control in the active theater. While land based radar sites can also actively scan for surface threats.
Radar and sonars can also be used to discover the locations of enemy vessels. Sonobuoys can be dropped from aircraft into the sea to locate submarines. Together with other sonar-equipment, if these are positioned in the correct area, any attempt by the enemy commander to send a submarine against the fleet can be repelled before any damage is done.
There are two types of radar sensoring: Passive and Active.
Passive radars and sonars offer the option of being used in an actively radiating mode. This means electromagnetic radiation (radar) or sound waves (sonar) are transmitted through the air (or water), giving a detailed 3D image of the sensor platform’s surroundings. However, these signals can be discovered and used against the units that are using them. Active Electronically Scanned Array radars emit signals that cannot be easily detected by the enemy (low probability of intercept, LPIR). It should be assumed that actively radiating units will be counter-detected and dispatched when found.