The Bin Laden Plot

Bass analyzed the new information. The bearing to the contact had shifted only slightly during the maneuver, indicating the contact was on a narrow aspect course — pointed almost directly toward Michigan. She checked the tentative solution on the active combat control console; the fire control technician had come to the same conclusion.

Sonar’s next report came over the speakers. “Conn, Sonar. Sierra three-four is classified submerged, with Seawolf tonals.”

Stepping onto the Conn, Lieutenant Bass acknowledged the report and selected the Captain’s stateroom on the 27-MC control box, then pulled the microphone from its holder.

“Captain, Officer of the Deck.”

The submarine’s Commanding Officer answered. “Captain.”

“Sir, hold a new submerged contact with Seawolf tonals on the towed array, designated Sierra three-four, bearing three-zero-one.”

Wilson arrived in Control a moment later and stepped onto the Conn, stopping beside Bass. After examining the sonar display, he turned to his Officer of the Deck.

“Man Battle Stations Torpedo silently.”

Without adequate intelligence on the acoustic capabilities of the mother submarine, Wilson had decided it was wise to man battle stations silently, without sounding Michigan’s general alarm. Depending on how close the contact was, which was currently unknown, and its acoustic-detection capabilities, it might be able to detect the loud gong, gong, gong reverberating through Michigan’s hull into the water.

Personnel streamed into Control, energizing dormant consoles. The Executive Officer, Lieutenant Commander Tom Montgomery, arrived, as did Lieutenant Ryan Jescovitch, the submarine’s Weapons Officer. Lieutenant Brian Resor entered Control, relieving Bass as the battle stations Officer of the Deck, and Bass then manned the third combat control console, joining the two fire control technicians focused on developing the target solution — its estimated course, speed, and range.

“Attention in Control,” Wilson announced. “Sierra three-four appears to be a regain of the automated mother submarine. Classify Sierra three-four as Master one. Track Master one.”

Montgomery hovered behind the three combat control consoles, monitoring the two fire control technicians and Lieutenant Bass as they refined their solutions to Master one. The contact maintained a steady course and speed, apparently oblivious to the impending danger, which simplified the evaluation.

It didn’t take long for Montgomery to announce, “I have a firing solution.”

Wilson called out, “Firing Point Procedures, Master one, tube Two.”

With the target on Michigan’s starboard side, Wilson had decided to shoot from a port-side tube, using the submarine’s hull to partially mask the launch transient.

Montgomery stopped briefly behind each of the combat control consoles, examining the target solution on each. He tapped one of the fire control technicians, who pressed a button on his console, sending an updated target solution to the torpedo.

“Solution ready!” Montgomery reported.

“Weapon ready!” Jescovitch called out.

“Ship ready!” Resor announced.

“Shoot on generated bearings!” Wilson ordered.

The firing signal was sent to the Torpedo Room, initiating the launch sequence for the torpedo in tube Two. Wilson listened to the whirr of the submarine’s torpedo ejection pump and the characteristic sound of the four-thousand-pound weapon being ejected from the torpedo tube, accelerating from rest to thirty knots in less than a second.

Inside the Sonar Room, Petty Officer Andrew Bubb and the other sonar technicians monitored their outgoing unit while searching for any indication the mother ship had either been alerted to the incoming torpedo or counterfired. Sonar referred to their torpedo as own ship’s unit so their reports wouldn’t be confused with information about an incoming torpedo.

“Own ship’s unit is in the water, running normally.

“Fuel crossover achieved.

“Steady on preset gyro course, medium speed.”

Wilson’s eyes shifted to the Weapon Launch Console, depicting their torpedo as a green inverted V heading toward a red semicircle representing Master one, which remained steady on course and speed, giving no indication it had detected the incoming torpedo.

Once Michigan’s torpedo went active, however, the situation changed dramatically.

“Conn, Sonar. Burst of cavitation from Master one — increasing speed. Down doppler on target — she’s turning away, commencing torpedo evasion. Ejecting countermeasures.”

The mother ship had detected the incoming torpedo and commenced a standard torpedo evasion. However, if Michigan’s target solution for Master one was accurate enough, the mother ship wouldn’t get away.

Wilson watched as the bearing to their torpedo began to merge with Master one’s.

“Detect!” Jescovitch called out.

A few seconds later, he followed up. “Homing! Increasing speed.”