“That race is already under way, sir,” Ann said. “Both Russia and China are stepping up their space launches; China has a space station aloft that they admit is being used for military research. Every nation knows that space is the ultimate high ground, and that the United States is way ahead in space technology. They will do one of two things: cooperate or compete.”
“Most countries are cooperating, Madam Secretary,” U.S. Space Command General Wiehl said. “With the Shuttle retired, we rely on the Russians almost every month for spacelift to the International Space Station.”
“I know that, General, and it worries me,” Ann said. “What if the Russians decided not to send Soyuz to the ISS anymore?”
“They wouldn’t do that, Doctor,” Wiehl said. “ Russia has invested a lot into the ISS, and they usually have one or two cosmonauts aboard. They rely on us as much as we rely on them.” But the sharpness of his rebuttal showed Ann that perhaps the question worried him more than he let on.
“Let’s get back to Dr. Page’s proposal,” Secretary Banderas said, glancing at his watch. “Twenty billion to put forty-eight…you called them ‘garages’? What’s in this ‘garage’?”
“Each weapon platform carries an infrared sensor, a tracking and targeting radar, electro-optical surveillance cameras, maneuvering engines, control and communications systems, and six Trinity kill vehicles-a mix of three antiballistic missile and defensive missiles, and three Mjollnir reentry vehicles,” Ann said. “The platforms are small enough to be placed into orbit with smaller boosters like Athena Two, Taurus, or the Midnight spaceplane, and they’re designed to be reloadable from manned or unmanned spacecraft.”
“Why forty-eight of these garages? Can it be done with fewer?”
“The number is based on commercial communications satellite structures that provide continuous global coverage, sir,” Ann said. “At an orbital altitude of about two to three hundred miles, which makes them easily accessible by our spaceplanes for servicing, there will be at least six platforms continuously overhead almost every spot on the planet.”
“So six garages with three antiballistic-missile interceptors-assuming some aren’t used to defend the garages themselves-is just eighteen interceptors able to respond at any moment to an attack,” Wiehl said. “Doesn’t sound like that many.”
“If we’re being attacked by more than eighteen enemy missiles-especially nuclear ones-we have a serious problem that wouldn’t be solved by twice as many interceptors, General,” Ann said with a wry smile. “The antiballistic-missile portion of the system is, of course, part of a layered system that includes boost-phase and terminal defenses.”
She turned to Secretary Banderas. “Sir, you’ve said it yourself many times: the Air Force has to do more with less; we have to field multi-role systems. The platforms are much more than just for space-based weapons. The sensors on board each platform and the integration of their data with other space assets through Armstrong Space Station will be invaluable to operators around the world. This network will provide real-time infrared, radar, and optical imagery to all users-even the Navy.” She leaned forward and opened her hands. “That’s the way we sell it to Secretary Turner and the White House.”
“This is a benefit for the Navy? That’s how we sell it?”
“The president is an unabashed Navy advocate,” Ann said. “He and SECDEF both believe that the Navy is the preeminent military power of the United States of America, and that every other service, especially the Air Force, is a support service. If that’s the way they want to see us, that’s fine. But let’s design a support mission that suits us, not fit in with how they see us.”
Secretary Banderas thought for a moment, then, as Ann breathed a sigh of relief, nodded. “I like it, Ann,” he said. “Global look, global persistence, global availability, with self-protection and antiballistic-missile capabilities-and run by the Air Force.”
“I think we’ll have real problems with the land-attack option, sir,” Chief of Staff Huffman said. “Even though these Mjollnir space weapons don’t technically violate any treaties, the whole idea of weapons raining down on top of you from space will spook a lot of people, possibly including the president.”
“Then we’ll downplay the land-attack thing at first,” Banderas said. “The missiles-”
“We call them ‘orbital maneuvering vehicles,’ sir,” Ann said.
The secretary of the Air Force nodded approvingly. “I like that,” he said. “Not ‘kill vehicles,’ not ‘missiles’-‘orbital maneuvering vehicles.’ OMVs. Okay, the OMVs are on board for self-protection and for ballistic-missile defense. The land-attack weapons are possible future development spirals. When can I get platforms upstairs, Ann?”
“The sensor packages and network integration was completed some time ago-the weapon interfaces have just completed R and D,” Ann replied. “We can build and launch one, perhaps two spacecraft a month. Within a year we can have sixty percent coverage and one hundred percent coverage within two years.”
Banderas nodded. “Excellent. We’ll meet to discuss where the money will come from, but because we’ll pitch this as a naval support system, we might be able to siphon some bucks out of the Navy. So what are you going to call it, Ann?”
“I thought of several names, sir,” Ann said, “but given the way we’re going to pitch this to the National Command Authority and Congress as a naval support system, I’ve narrowed it down to one: Kingfisher. The Navy won’t be as intimidated by a more globe-dominating name. Cute brightly colored little birds-the marine variety dive below the surface after fish.”
Banderas shook his head and got to his feet. “You learn something new every damn day, I guess,” he said with a smile. He held out a hand to Ann, and she shook it. “Thank you, Dr. Page. You’ve done some incredible work. We’ll see about selling this to the powers that be and get a supplemental authorization. After what happened to the Bush, I think they’ll be responsive to a system that puts more eyes out there over the horizon.”
“Thank you, sir,” Ann said. “Another question: standing up the Space Defense Force-”
“Don’t even go there, Ann,” Banderas said. “This sell is going to be tough enough without recommending forming an entire new military entity. We’ll be lucky if it doesn’t turn into a Navy program after all. Let’s get the thing built and in orbit before deciding what color to paint it, okay?” He shrugged his shoulders and added, “And the way the Air Force is faring these days, that color will probably be battleship gray.”
TWO
Beaten paths are for beaten men.
– ERIC JOHNSTON
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA
JANUARY 2012
“You have the mind of a twenty-year-old, the bod of a thirty-year-old-but the eyes of an eighty-year-old?” Air Force Colonel Gia “Boxer” Cazzotto said, giving Patrick McLanahan a kiss on the cheek. Gia was tall, with straight dark hair, mischievous brown eyes, and a disarmingly shy smile-all of which disguised a woman who commanded one of America ’s few remaining heavy bomber wings. “Cataract surgery, intraocular implants-you?”
“’Fraid so, babe,” Patrick said. Patrick was a retired three-star Air Force general and one of the most highly regarded and popular military men in American history, having led mostly secret bombing missions all over the world for almost two decades, as well as the man responsible for starting America’s military Space Defense Force. But today, he was sitting up on a hospital bed in street clothes, being prepped for surgery. “I guess they’re common for astronauts, high-altitude pilots, and anyone who works where ultraviolet rays are stronger.”