Franks watched Nosey, he looked down with his grey Bose headphones clampoed to his head, concentrating, listening. It was hard to wait, thought Franks, here they were cruising quietly towards who knew what? Whales humping? Up above could be a Helix ASW helicopter carrying a torpedo with their name on it.
Some people thought undersea warfare was glamorous. A clash of ship and submarine, with only one victor. Franks knew it was all just boring long waits, followed by brief terrifying action.
Nosey looked up. “Sir. Two Udaloy and two Sovremennyy class Destroyers widespread. Range 17 miles, heading south. Possible subsurface contact too, but we have weak returns.”
“A squadron formation,” said Franks.
“Warshot status, Lieutenant Commander Blake?”
“Tubes one to three Mk 48 CBASS, tube four Harpoon. Sir.”
“Load tubes one to three with Harpoon.”
“Aye sir.”
After several minutes Nathan called out. “All tubes Harpoon, sir.”
“Weaps. Get a firing solution on all Tangos. Up bubble 15. Come to periscope depth.”
Blake ran the firing solution acquisition. Many factors had to be taken into account; range, speed, heading, water temperature, salinity and target type. His fingers flicked over the touchscreen.
“Weaps, give me recommended optimum attack scenario?”
Blake thought it through. Four Destroyers, widespread, all probably fitted with Close In Weapon Systems.
A CIWS was a radar controlled multi barrel gun capable of spitting out a high rate of fire. It would attempt to bring down any incoming missiles at close range.
“Sir, I recommend a bracketing approach, left and right flank attack. That way, a miss might go for another target on the opposite flank.”
“I agree Weaps, program the attack strategy in.”
Blake used his console.
In one way Franks couldn’t believe it had come to this. Here he was, involved in a running fight with Russia, a near-peer. It had almost crept up on him.
He knew it was here now and happening, he just had to fight the boat. It had been drummed into him during his command training.
“Franks, remember. Command is just a tool, use it to fight the boat.”
“All laid in sir, Birds A and B west approach. C and D east approach.”
“Now at periscope depth sir,” said the planesman.
“Harpoon strikes at bearings zero degrees, Tango one to four. Flood tubes, open outer doors.”
“Yes sir.”
Thirty seconds went by.
“Tubes flooded, outer door open. Weapons ready in all respects, sir,” said Nathan.
This is it, thought Franks. “Launch.”
“Tube one. Launch.”
The canister ejected from the tube and rose to the surface, the cap blew off, and the missile’s solid propellant launched the missile clear. Then the Teledyne J402 turbojet with 600 pounds of thrust powered the missile towards its target.
“At the surface, motor fired. The bird is in the air.”
“Tube two ready in all respects, sir.”
Nathan waited fifteen seconds.
“Launch.”
“Tube two. Launch. At the surface, motor fired. Another bird is in the air. We have two good birds.”
All four missiles launched and streaked into their targets. Electronic countermeasures sang a song of digital confusion. In the terminal phase, to confuse the CIWS, the birds climbed high and dived into their targets.
One of the Sovremennyy class Destroyers managed to get her Close In Weapon System throwing a wall of lead at the missile causing damage, but it was too late. One by one all four Harpoons struck their targets with a 488 pound warhead. A blast was followed by fire and black smoke billowing skyward. Two of the Destroyers sank within 15 minutes. The other two were disabled and out of the fight.
NATHAN TURNED FROM his console.
“Sir, it’s time to show our ass to them.”
Franks nodded. “Come to the south.”
The boat turned away from the fight.
“Planesman, trim for bow up. Up bubble 15. Surface the boat.”
The planesman frowned. The boat came to the surface and the sail towered into the air.
“Mr Krupa, transmit the following message via long reach.” Long reach was an old radio system from decades ago, it still had its uses.
“Aye sir.”
The USS NYC transmitted a radio distress code followed by a series of codes unused since the cold war.
“Transmission complete sir,” said Krupa.
Franks looked to his Weapons Officer. “When you are ready, Blake.”
Weapons Officer Blake waited several minutes. There, on his display screen, vertical radar tracking spikes showed up, he read the evaluation details.
“We’re being painted by an X-band airborne surveillance radar. An Il-38 ASW aircraft is tracking us. That’s it sir, they’ve seen our ass.”
“Lieutenant Commander Blake. You have control.”
“I have control sir. Trim for dive, vent fore and aft, down bubble 15,” said Nathan. “Make your depth 260 feet, speed 20 knots.”
He turned to the Navigation Officer. He almost called her Erica.
“Pigeon, get me a course to 15 miles east of operation VOROTA datum.”
“Two five three degrees sir.”
“Planesman, come to bearing two five three.”
“Two five three, aye sir.”
Colonel Tonroe looked out towards the Yavuz Sultan Selim suspension bridge. Modern styling gave it a high-tech look. With its twin two-legged towers and multiple suspension cables, it dominated the area.
Beyond was the expanse of the Black Sea; ironically it was a shimmering sun specked blue today.
The landscape fell away down to the Bosporus strait, a mile away. The MEU had occupied ground to the west side of the strait, some nine miles north of the city centre. The outskirts of the city were just three miles southwest.
This would be a prime landing area for the Russian VDV, airborne units. It controlled the northern Bosporus; from here, Colonel Tonroe and the 24th could dominate the area.
It had been a rushed deployment; they’d flown into the city and moved into the area under the guise of an exercise. Much of their heavy equipment was being brought in by air if possible.
USS Fort McHenry, a Landing Ship Dock, was heading their way, bringing more heavy vehicles and other stores.
With their TOW and Javelin anti-tank missiles and M777 Howitzers, they’d pack a punch. Shoulder mounted Stingers would have to provide the air defense for now.
However, their main punch was 1,200 US Marines armed to the teeth and loaded for bear. They’d give any VDV troopers a hard time of it.
A helicopter landed off to the south on a sports field and an officer climbed out and headed for his position.
He saluted Tonroe who returned the salute. The officer wore yellow oak leaves and the name patch ‘McKimm’.
“Sir, we’re dug in now northwest of the bridge. The ridgeline from here to the northeast is ours.”
“Well done, Major McKimm. How is your resupply?”
“Not enough as usual, but getting better. I’m in contact with the shit shifters.”
“You should get more soon, the LSD Fort McHenry isn’t far away.”
It was about that time, he’d need to take a look first hand.
“Ok, Major. I’m going to borrow that chopper and take a look around the area myself.”
“Yes sir.”
Colonel Tonroe jogged off to the helicopter with three men following. It took off and flew low to the east.
Tonroe first called at the M777 Howitzer battery, he’d positioned it just inland from Sariyer. From there it could deliver rounds into all likely engagement points and be mobile in case the Russians had counter battery units. That was unlikely, but who could know? They could also be withdrawn towards the city if it became necessary to provide cover around Ataturk Airport to the southwest.