"Roger that, sir."
"Stand by, Travis. Three, two, one, now!"
Captain Riddle pushed his throttle to the floor. The F-15 rocketed to the west on an intercept course for the Russian planes. First Lieutenant Martin followed suit.
MiG-29
Codename Fulcrum Four
80 miles east of Tbilisi, Georgia
Junior Lieutenant Staas Budarin was watching the plethora of activity on his radar screen.
Most of the white blips against the green background represented military flights by NATO aircraft crisscrossing the airspace around Tbilisi. So far, none of the NATO flights in the area had responded to the intrusion by MiGs into Georgian airspace.
Staas looked down at the mountainous terrain passing seven thousand feet below. At least there were no bursts of white smoke in sight. Of course, they were well above the range of most surface-to-air missiles. But the air-to-air variety caused concern, particularly the short-range Sidewinders and medium-ranged Phoenix missiles armed on most of the American interceptors.
Staas felt totally alone. Captain Giorsky, who was tailing him about two miles to his rear, had ordered radio silence until they were over Armenia.
F-15 Eagle
Codename Eagle Three
45 miles north of Tbilisi, Georgia
Captain A. J. Riddle looked out from the canopy of his F-15 Eagle at three o'clock. Adrenaline shot through his body.
"Papa Bear! Eagle Three! I've got two MiGs in sight! Bearing one-eight-zero. Headed straight toward Tbilisi. Awaiting your instructions."
"Eagle Three! Papa Bear. Orders from National Command Authority are as follows. Intercept. Intercept. Attempt to divert. If bandits enter Tbilisi airspace, attack. Repeat, if bandits enter Tbilisi airspace, attack."
A command relayed from National Command Authority meant that the president himself was involved in the order being relayed. That thought brought chills to A. J. as he repeated the order back to the airborne command post on board the Hawkeye. "Roger that, Papa Bear. Intercept. Intercept. Attempt diversion. Attack if Bandits enter Tbilisi airspace."
"Eagle Three, Papa Bear! Copy that, Eagle Three."
A. J. flipped the switch opening a direct channel to his wingman, Lieutenant Travis Martin. "Eagle Four, Eagle Three. I've got the lead guy, you take the rear. Our orders are to intercept, attempt diversion, but attack if bandits enter Tbilisi airspace. Got it?"
"Got it. Roger that, Eagle Three. I'm following your lead."
MiG-29
Codename Fulcrum Four
40 miles north of Tbilisi, Georgia
Staas looked out the cockpit to his left. The F-15 Strike Eagle had swooped in from out of nowhere, and was matching speed about forty yards or so out to his left. Staas recognized the insignia of the United States Air Force painted on the side of the war bird. The American pilot was making all kinds of motions with his hand and was pointing to his left.
This hand signal needed no translation from English to Russian. The American was ordering Staas to "peel off."
Junior Lieutenant Staas Budarin had to somehow let the American know that turning was impossible, that they simply needed a harmless passage of overflight through Georgia for a few more minutes before reaching Armenia.
He held his palms up, and began pointing straight ahead, over and over again.
This seemed to make the American angrier. The pilot gave the "peel off" signal with a renewed vengeance. He was pointing to his left faster, and with staccatolike chops.
Captain Giorsky had ordered radio silence. But that was academic now. He must somehow tell the American that his intentions were harmless. He switched on an international hailing frequency on his radio and prayed that the Yank understood Russian. "Ya nee magu perverneetzyah! Ya nee magu perverneetzyah!"
F-15 Eagle
Codename Eagle Three
35 miles north of Tbilisi, Georgia
Eagle Three. Papa Bear. What is your status?" "Papa Bear. Eagle Three. Visual contact made. I'm getting angry hand gestures and transmission in Russian. Bandit refuses breakoff. Repeat, bandit refuses breakoff."
"Eagle Three. Papa Bear. Bandit entering Tbilisi airspace. Execute shoot-down order. Repeat, execute shoot down."
"Papa Bear. Eagle Three. Roger that. I'm breaking off to acquire firing position."
MiG-29
Codename Fulcrum Three
35 miles north of Tbilisi, Georgia
Captain Alexander Giorsky had been watching this strange game of cat and mouse between the F-15 and his junior partner. Now the American seemed to be breaking off the pursuit. The Strike Eagle looped away from the Fulcrum, making a wide turn far out to the left.
Perhaps this was a good thing. Perhaps the American had understood the broadcast on the international frequency when Staas had said, "Ya nee magu perverneetzyah!" I cannot turn left.
Perhaps not!
The American was now looping in behind the Fulcrum, as if to acquire a firing position.
Giorsky decided to break radio silence.
"Fulcrum Four, Fulcrum Three. Bandit on your tail! I'm locking onto him. Hit afterburners! Now!"
F-15 Eagle
Codename Eagle Three
35 miles north of Tbilisi, Georgia
Captain A. J. Riddle had trained for this all of his professional career.
Now the moment was at hand.
This was a moment that most American fighter pilots never encountered. Still, for this moment, most American fighter pilots would give their right arms.
The opportunity to engage a hostile enemy aircraft.
But reality was not what he had expected. Instead of the high adrenaline that he imagined would come at this moment, sobering reality chilled his body.
He was about to shoot down an enemy aircraft, if that aircraft did not shoot him down first. Someone would die. His adversary could be a family man, like him, with a wife and small children at home.
And even if the other pilot survived, women and children on the ground could be killed by falling wreckage from the aircraft.
Captain Riddle swung the Strike Eagle around to the rear of the Fulcrum, which was still on a course for the dead center of Tbilisi. He mentally reminded himself that the Russian had refused to peel off, and was engaged in a military sortie for the center of the capital of a nation that was a United States ally.
The S-24 surface-to-ground rockets that the MiGs typically carried could be targeted for any place in the capital, including the parliament building or the presidential residence. Its Alamo missiles and its can nons were a threat to NATO planes, including his own. The Russians had been ordered to stay out of Georgia. This pilot was taking hostile action by violating that order. The rules of engagement left only one option.
Riddle settled the Eagle into a chase position about a mile behind the Fulcrum, and five hundred feet above it.
Riddle armed missile number one, then fed the tracking data from the plane's radar into the fire launch computer.
Three seconds later, a red flashing light appeared on the console.
Target acquired. Target acquired. Target acquired.
Riddle felt that surge of adrenaline. His thumb pressed the fire button.
The AIM-9L Sidewinder missile dropped from the right wing about ten feet through the air, then ignited in a burst of flame and white smoke, streaking out in front of the F-15.
"Papa Bear. Eagle Three. Missile in the air!"
MiG-29
Codename Fulcrum Four
30 miles north of Tbilisi, Georgia
Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. The strident alarm brought Staas's eyes to the flashing red monitor on the cockpit control panel. Next to the Engine Failure alarm, this was the one alarm most dreaded by fighter pilots.
Missile lock! Missile lock! Missile lock!
Staas felt cold sweat all over his body. Kapitan Giorsky had tried radioing him, but he could not hear because of the alarm. His hands trembled as he hit the transmit button.
"Kapitan! He has locked onto me! Help me!"
There was no answer.
"Kapitan! Missile in the air!"