Shadow Flight

Kerchner moved the pointer over to a circle by the Great Bahama Bank. "Lincoln will be one hundred ten miles southeast of Andros Island… right here." The defense secretary tapped the map, then looked at the president. "Her responsibility will be to bomb Santa Clara airfield and provide air cover for the Marine KC-130 cargo planes going into Guantanamo Bay — to extract the Marines marooned there."

Jarrett nodded his approval and wrote a lengthy note on his folder.

"We have three attack submarines," Kerchner continued, facing the president, "Albuquerque, Jacksonville, and Baton Rouge, operating with the carrier battle groups… one to a ship. Two of the submarines will have designated shore targets — military barracks, supply depots, and naval ports, including any ships in port. They will use conventional Tomahawk cruise missiles."

Kerchner stopped when he saw the president indicate that he had a question. "Yes, sir."

"Bernie, how comfortable are we with one submarine to protect each carrier? I mean, we can't afford another tragedy, and possibly lose a carrier."

Kerchner inhaled deeply. "Mister President, we — the Joint Chiefs and I — feel comfortable with one submarine each, since Cuba has lost one third of her submarine force. As you mentioned, two ASW helicopters confirmed surface debris, including bodies, from the submarine that torpedoed Wasp."

"What about the suspected submarines," Jarrett asked, looking at the chief of naval operations, then back to Kerchner, "that are operating with the Soviet aircraft carrier? Where is the carrier — the Russian one?"

Kerchner moved the end of the pointer to a spot thirty miles south of the western tip of Cuba. "The Novorossiysk has moved to a position between the two Soviet task forces. Mister President," Kerchner continued confidently, "we have doubled our ASW coverage, and I feel comfortable with our protection."

"I want to be absolutely certain, Bernie," Jarrett replied, grim faced. "I want overkill built into everything we do from now on." Jarrett paused for emphasis. "Can we get two more submarines into place before morning?"

Kerchner paused, contemplating the logistics. "We can add one submarine, but not two, by early morning. Sir, we don't have the time, unless we delay the operation."

"No, we can't afford to delay our strike," the president said, pleased with the additional submarine coverage. "Let's get the other attack submarine on station as quickly as possible."

"Yes, sir," the defense secretary responded, facing the chief of naval operations (CNO). "Admiral, will you take care of that and rejoin us?"

"Yes, Mister Secretary."

Kerchner waited until the CNO shut the door before he resumed the briefing. "Our B-1 Bs will stage out of Barksdale," Kerchner said, pointing out their route of flight across the Gulf of Mexico, "flying high over the Yucatan Peninsula, then drop down south of Cuba. They'll split into three groups and make supersonic, low-level penetrations — one group going to San Julian and the other two flights hitting military installations in the Havana area."

Kerchner turned to face the president. "We believe it's best if the bombers approach from the south, drop their ordnance, and depart straight ahead — no turning while coming off the targets."

Kirk Truesdell indicated that he had a question. "Mister Vice President?" Kerchner asked, compressing his pointer.

"Bernie, I have a couple of questions in regard to coordination. First, it appears to me as if we're going to have a lot of aircraft converging over the same targets at the same time, not to mention the Cuban fighters."

Truesdell looked at his briefing folder, tapping his pen lightly on the paper. "Another thought I had-a concern actually — what kind of protection will the B-1s have going into the target?"

Kerchner waited to answer when he saw the CNO step back into the room.

"The Birmingham will be in the Gulf," the admiral reported, sitting down, "by oh-four-hundred, Mister President."

"Very well, admiral," Jarrett responded. "Please continue, Bernie."

"The B-1 strike force, fourteen aircraft, will follow the initial carrier-based strikes by four minutes. We'll have two B-1 spares airborne and two on alert at Barksdale."

Kerchner drew a breath. "The skies over Cuba, especially the Havana area, will be saturated with aircraft. All the strike aircraft have precise routes of ingress and egress, but we have no way of telling how many enemy aircraft will be airborne."

"I understand that," Truesdell responded, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. "But it sure looks like a gaggle ripe for disaster."

Kerchner caught two of the Joint Chiefs bristle openly, working hard to contain their comments.

"Sir," the defense secretary said, "our crews are highly qualified and extremely well trained. I have every confidence in our military leadership and their planning — and no doubt about the outcome of this mission."