Their conversation went back and forth for a moment before the CAG interrupted, saying, “Alright, guys. Dumb it down for the old jet jock, please. You must have some thoughts on what these noises were.”
The briefer said, “In short, CAG, we think it’s some new type of ASW platform. A completely new technology. These fast-attack boats should be practically invisible to the Chinese until they’re right on top of them. But apparently, that’s not what happened. We don’t know how the Chinese are doing it, but they’ve found a way to detect our submarines at long ranges from their surface units and prosecute them with deadly efficiency.”
More uneasy silence in the room.
Admiral Manning said, “If true, this changes the balance of power significantly.”
“Yes, sir.”
“What are the latest locations of each Chinese fleet now?”
The PACFLEET intelligence officer shifted his weight around. “We’re working on getting an update, sir. But it’s been more than twenty-four hours, and it’s hard to comply with the cease-fire agreement and gain an exact location. These submarines were able to do it covertly. But—”
“But that’s not an option anymore.”
“Correct, Admiral.”
Admiral Manning said, “And we can’t get ISR in there?”
“Sending aircraft that far west would violate the cease-fire agreement.”
“That’s assuming the Chinese fleets are abiding by that agreement. What if they’re moving east of the one-forty-four?”
“Sir, we’re working on a solution. Even if hostilities resume, without satellite coverage, and with the denied area expanding, ISR will be challenging. Prior to the cease-fire, surface-to-air missiles took out many of our drones and reconnaissance aircraft. The Chinese surface-to-air range has proven to be much greater than originally thought. The Air Force is working on getting more recon satellites up, but we don’t have confirmation on when that will be.”
The CAG said, “Cease-fire my ass. They’re reloading and taking territory.”
Admiral Manning said, “Has the US made any complaints to the Chinese about violating the cease-fire?”
“Sir, that’s been discussed, but it’s a hard point to make given their location. In both cases, our submarines were in violation of the cease-fire agreement since they were west of the hundred and forty-fourth longitude line.”
Admiral Manning frowned. “I suppose as long as we pretend that we weren’t there, the Chinese will pretend they didn’t sink them.”
The PACFLEET intel officer opened his mouth to speak but decided against it. People began talking heatedly around the room.
Admiral Manning said, “Alright, let’s settle down and wrap up.”
“Thank you, sir.” He looked around the room. “Many of you are probably wondering why I’ve flown out here to tell you this, with the Ford Strike Group being so far away.”
Plug certainly was.
“Our China analysts believe that if the war heats up again, the PLA Navy will continue pushing east, challenging our Pacific Fleet for dominance. If that happens, we expect that Hawaii and Guam will again both be prime targets. We’ll need the Ford Strike Group to be prepared to face these Chinese fleets, and to assume that our submarines will need to stand off until we can counter this new ASW technology.”
Admiral Manning frowned. “Thank you for the brief, Captain. Please relay my request up the chain. The warfighters need locations on the two Chinese strike groups. We need to know exactly what this new ASW technology is and how to defeat it. And we need both of these intelligence reports yesterday.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Ladies and gentlemen, there’s an old saying in the Navy. I’m paraphrasing a bit, but it goes something like this: If you want to put a hole in a carrier, use a missile. If you want to sink a carrier, use a torpedo. If this Chinese ASW capability is as deadly as our analysts think it is, that takes away our submarine force’s ability to sink those enemy carriers. That puts us at a significant disadvantage. Because they can still sink us.”
17
The war was only a week old, but already David felt like the country had been transported back in time to the 1940s. Periodic radio and TV broadcasts had supplanted the internet. Fuel, meals, and clothing were being rationed. Patriotism was through the roof, and military recruitment centers had lines around the corner as able-bodied men and women tried to sign up for the armed forces. Yesterday David had even seen a report come across his desk that several US auto manufacturers were converting their factories to make military equipment.
The workers at those manufacturing plants would keep their jobs. Others weren’t so lucky. Over the last twenty years, the global economy had been built upon global trade and had grown increasingly reliant on high-speed internet connectivity. With the Chinese EMP attack, that era had come to a halt.
Access to information, workers, resources, and money was made extremely difficult. With the internet inoperative, millions of jobs disappeared overnight. That alone was enough to cause panic and chaos. But when combined with electrical blackouts and food shortages, it was devastating.
Even if there was food in the grocery store, how were you supposed to pay for it? Most people didn’t carry much cash around anymore. The little they had dried up fast. The world had grown completely reliant on technology to perform the simplest tasks. Now credit cards and smartphones were both worthless. The panic of survival instinct kicked in fast.
The bus ride down had been eye-opening. They saw firsthand what a fearful society could become. During those first few days, some scenes reminded David of a zombie apocalypse. Riots. Shootings. Fistfights over gas shortages and bare grocery stores. Everyone was scared, trying to protect their families and stay alive.
Within the first thirty-six hours, the new president had declared martial law. Together, the American military and law enforcement had taken to the streets and ensured order and discipline. The national guard and military reserves were fully activated. A week later, most utilities and electric grids were still down, but they were being restored, however slowly. While the internet and cell phone networks weren’t going to be the same for a while, people were adapting.
Emergency centers were formed in every town. The trucking industry was nationalized. The military and government disaster response agencies worked with businesses to ration resources and allocate them the best they could. It was like a Cat 5 hurricane had hit every city in America overnight. There were many deaths. Estimates varied, but the low range was over one hundred thousand, and the counting had only now just begun. Dehydration or starvation. Accidents and sickness. Hospitals without electricity. Prisons where the guards had stopped showing up for work. Railroad accidents. Car pileups. Plane crashes.
But the worst events often bring out the best in people, and David was moved by the stories he heard of private businesses and citizens putting their own interests on hold in order to help their fellow Americans. In times of trouble, people come together. They turn to the brave. Rescue personnel. Soldiers. Nurses and doctors. And the untested often find that they are capable of more than they ever thought possible.
David thought of this as he looked out his front window, a blue-gray dawn illuminating his front yard. A few men and women walked to work on the base road. Driving was discouraged unless absolutely necessary. Gasoline had become sacred.