A sonobuoy float canister is releasably latched to a wound cable pack container. The cable is attached at its upper end to the canister and at its lower end to a lower sonobuoy component. A rotor latches the canister and container together in one rotative position so that the cable is not unwound or payed out to provide a first or shallow depth deployment of the lower component. In a second rotative position of the rotor the canister and container are unlatched from one another and the cable is positively restrained after a predetermined partial payout to provide a medium depth deployment of the lower component. In a third rotative position of the rotor the positive restraint of cable payout is removed and the canister and container are unlatched so that the cable is fully payed out to provide for full depth deployment of the underwater component.