Terminal Run

Predator was coming down to them from a buoyant wire antenna, which was acceptable for receiving data but could not transmit. Between the UAV and their sonar systems, they would have the surface group in their sights in no time. Still, the fact that the Predator had not yet seen the battle group was cause for concern.

“Captain, Predator UAV detect on infrared,” the computerized voice of the Cyclops system said. “Bearing to the infrared detect is north of the Predator. Range is unknown, but Predator is conducting aerial target-motion-analysis to obtain a parallax range. Time to approximate range is ten minutes.”

“Very well, Cyclops,” Dixon said. The facial array of the firecontrol team showed his people putting on their war faces.

“Attention in the firecontrol party,” Dixon said. “We have a far distant passive aerial detect of the incoming battle group We will be preparing to launch a time-on-target assault of the battle group Mark 58 Alert/Acute Mod Plasma torpedoes first. Vortex missiles second, and Javelin cruise missiles last. Our weapon ration for this attack is one-half of our load out which is thirteen torpedoes, four Vortex missiles, and two cruise missiles. The other half of the room will be a reserve force for counterattack and to target the Julang SSN. Once this battle group is on the bottom, our orders have us proceeding back north on the track to attack Battlegroup Two, which will take the rest of the weapons inventory. By the time Battlegroup Two is on the bottom, we won’t have to worry about Three, since it will probably slink back to port with its tail between its legs.

“The initially launched torpedoes will orbit at range five thousand yards until all thirteen weapons are in the water, and will then proceed down the track at medium speed run-to-enable with a bearing fan-out to prevent inter weapon interference. At acquisition of targets, the units will speed up to high speed, and will detonate on their targets at time zero. Just as the weapons are departing their orbits for the transit to the convoy, we will be launching Vortex units. The Vortex time of-flight is one-sixth of the Mark 58 run, so Cyclops will coordinate Vortex launches to ensure the missiles hit at time zero, with a boomerang trajectory on the east side of the convoy track so that the Vortex units will not home on the Mark 58s or interfere with the Mark 58 sonar searches.

“Because of the large weapon inventory being launched, the first-fired weapons will be orbiting for some time, which means they will be low on fuel, which means that at time zero the battle group will be much closer to us than if we were launching a single torpedo. The range to the closest unit at time zero will be inside ten thousand yards owing to this reduced torpedo range and to the speed of the incoming battle group This is damned close, and it is possible that we could be counter detected by a streamed towed array or by a dipping sonar of an ASW chopper, probably not from a detect on the ship, people, but on the launched weapons. For this reason, we will slowly, stealthily drive away from our launching position as soon as the last weapon is released. We will clear datum to the east, proceed fifteen miles, then turn north to perform a battle damage assessment. Everyone clear on the tactical plan?”

“Coordinator, aye, sir,” Phillips said.

“Pos one, clear, sir.”

“Pos two.”

“Pos three.”

“Geo clear, Captain.”

“Secondary, aye.”

“Weps, aye.”

“Officer of the Deck, aye, Captain.”

“Sonar Supervisor, aye.”

“Very well,” Dixon said as he looked at the faces of the firecontrol party. “Now listen up for our antisubmarine tactics. I expect the Julang to be ten to twenty miles ahead of the convoy. That is fairly unfortunate, because if the convoy is at range five miles at zero time, it means our weapons will be going by the Julang on their run to the targets. The Julang could be alerted either by our weapons or by our launching transients, or both. Our launching time period will end while

Julang is still outside the fifteen-mile range circle, but if he detects on the first weapon, we should expect Chinese torpedoes in the water to come before we complete our last launch. Sonar, this means you’ll need to be searching for the Julang and an incoming salvo of East Wind torpedoes at the same time we’rein the middle of launching, while you’re still keeping an eye on the convoy to make sure he doesn’t zig. You’ll have a very busy watch, Chief. Are you up for it?”

“Captain, Sonar Supervisor, we can do this in our sleep.”

Dixon smiled, as much at the confidence in Chief Hern don’s voice as to show the firecontrol party his own confidence. Perhaps the biggest indicator to the crew of the status of the battle was the expression on the captain’s face, which made command at sea that much harder — he had to act like he was winning, even in defeat, or he would lose the crew.