Roosevelt, along with several destroyer escorts exiting the repair yards, had traveled across the Pacific under darkened ship and complete EMCON — Emissions Controls; no radar or communication emissions — staying beyond visual range of other ships during the transit. Additionally, as they approached the American task force and their Indian opponents, Roosevelt and her destroyer escorts had activated their electronic countermeasure suites, emitting the radar signature of Chinese ships while the outbound aircraft kept their Identification-Friend-or-Foe transponders secured.
Gonzalez turned her attention to Flight Deck operations as Roosevelt began launching another thirty aircraft from her bow and waist catapults. Navy leadership knew the carrier would arrive late to the battle and replacement aircraft would be sorely needed, so Roosevelt had been outfitted with six Super Hornet squadrons instead of the standard four, plus two squadrons of MH-60Rs. The first wave of thirty F/A-18s would engage the Indian fighters tangling with the task force’s CAP, while the following wave of F/A-18s would attack the second wave of incoming Indian fighters.
Whatever survived those two battles would join forces with the three F/A-18 squadrons above Truman and Reagan, then deliver a warm welcome to the three Indian aircraft carriers.
87
PENTAGON
The president took a sip of lukewarm coffee, keeping his eyes fixed on the thirty-foot-diameter screen at the far end of the Current Action Center as red and blue symbols moved slowly across the display. The tension and silence of the first few hours had been replaced by the murmur of quiet conversations, loosened ties, and unbuttoned shirt collars as the men and women around the table monitored the battle’s progress.
A few hours earlier, USS Roosevelt’s air wing, with the assistance of the task force’s combat air patrol, had shot down all Indian aircraft aloft. After refueling and rearming her F/A-18s, Roosevelt had joined forces with the remaining task force aircraft, finishing off Pyotr Velikiy and Kuznetsov. Turning their attention back to the Indian Navy, a one-hundred-plus aircraft assault was en route toward the Indian aircraft carriers, which were retreating rapidly toward shore with their destroyer and frigate escorts. A single strike likely wouldn’t sink the three carriers, but it would bloody their noses.
Now that the outcome of the battle was clear, the president turned to his advisors.
“What’s the next step in the Indian Ocean?” he asked McVeigh.
“We’ll pull the task force back temporarily while we continue repairs on all four carriers. Hopefully we can get Eisenhower and Bush back up without a shipyard visit. We’ve got shipyard tiger teams waiting in Diego Garcia, plus four replacement air wings, stripped from the aircraft carriers in the repair yards, on their way. Once all five carriers are operational and their air wings are at full strength again, we’ll engage the remaining Russian submarines.”
“What’s the status of the two submarine forces?” the president asked.
McVeigh deferred to Admiral Brian Rettman, the Chief of Naval Operations, who answered, “It’s difficult to say this early, as submarines don’t communicate during battle. By doctrine, they stay at optimal search depth and speed until the conflict is over or have previous orders directing them to report in at a specific time.” Admiral Rettman glanced at the clock. “In another two hours, whoever survived will report in, as long as there are no hostile contacts in their operating area.
“As far as the Russian submarines go, it’s also difficult to say. We know how many lightweight and heavyweight torpedoes exploded, but we don’t know which submarines were sunk — ours or theirs — or how many of the lightweight torpedoes were expended on the same target. There haven’t been any subsurface missile attacks against our carriers in the last few hours, so it looks like we’ve sunk all eleven guided missile submarines, either before or after they launched.
“Russian attack submarines continue to probe our ASW defenses, so it looks like there’s a fair number of those left. We have insufficient numbers of MH-60 Romeo helicopters to cover the Bravo sectors, but they’re being augmented by P-8As monitoring via sonobuoy fields they’ve dropped. However, they’re running low on sonobuoys.”
When Admiral Rettman finished, McVeigh followed up. “As I mentioned, we’ll pull the task force back and refit with additional ASW assets and supplies, then engage the remaining Russian attack submarines. Depending on how plan B goes.”
“Are we ready?” the president asked.
“Yes, Mr. President. All we’re waiting for is your authorization.”
The president replied, “Proceed with the next phase.”
88
USS MICHIGAN
Lieutenant Chris Shroyer turned slowly on the periscope as USS Michigan loitered in the Sea of Marmara, watching tankers and other merchant ships pass by in the distance. He was nearing the end of his watch, and after almost six hours going round and round, he had his left arm draped over the periscope handle like a seasoned World War II captain. He knew it was unprofessional, but the submarine’s Executive Officer, Lieutenant Commander Dave Beasley, on watch in the Control Room with him, said nothing. He had more important things to worry about.
Beasley was stationed as the Command Duty Officer. While lurking in the Sea of Marmara, either the Executive Officer or Wilson would be in the Control Room, alternating in six-hour shifts. Earlier this morning, Michigan emerged into the Sea of Marmara after following a Suezmax tanker up the Dardanelles, and Captain Wilson and his crew waited patiently for orders. Via the radio receiver at the top of the periscope, Michigan was in continuous communication.
“Conn, Radio. In receipt of a new OPORD.”
Lieutenant Shroyer acknowledged, then pulled the microphone from its holder and pressed the button for the Captain’s stateroom.
“Captain, Officer of the Deck. In receipt of new operational orders.”
Wilson acknowledged and entered the Control Room as a watchstander emerged from the Radio Room, message board in hand.
The submarine’s Captain read the new OPORD, then handed it to his Executive Officer. Lieutenant Shroyer, still going round and round with his face pressed against the periscope, waited for one of the two senior officers to enlighten him. Wilson did the honor, informing Shroyer they’d been ordered into the Black Sea. The last two fast attack submarines in the Atlantic Fleet weren’t far behind, but Michigan would lead the way.
The journey up the Bosphorus was seventeen nautical miles long, which would take less than two hours, plus another tanker to follow. As with the trip up the Dardanelles, Michigan would transit submerged, close behind the largest tanker they could find, and this time, they’d do it without the periscope raised, since it’d be visible in the daylight.