“All set?” asked Franks.
“I hope so sir.”
“How did they take it?”
“Laughed at me at first. But they’re into it now. They’re hard at work setting things up. I think it might even work,” Nathan frowned, “if they cause enough damage.”
“Don’t worry,” grinned Franks, “a 155mm shell? That’ll give them a headache all right. All that damage to sonar panels, periscopes and props. Probably even crack the hull if it’s close enough.”
“Sir, can I call a war committee in the wardroom?”
“You’re on the committee, you have the right, yes. XO? Wardroom. Pigeon, you have the Conn.”
“I have the Conn sir.” She was amazed and proud, it was her first time.
The three of them sat around the wardroom desk.
Nathan opened up a paper sea chart of the Bosporus channel and laid it out.
He didn’t want to do it, but couldn’t see any other way. He knew it was now in for a cent, in for a dollar.
“Gabriel,” he said to XO Cortes. “I’ll address myself to you, as you’re new to the details of VOROTA. As we know, the only way out of the Black Sea is via the Bosporus channel. I’ve been studying the subsurface of the area. Here around two miles north of the channel is a ridge line, depth 180 feet, well above the Black Sea shelf. Behind the north ridge is the channel proper, depth is around 300 feet. The Bosporus depths start broad in the north but it becomes more canyon like as we come south. This canyon twists and turns as it runs to the south. At the southern exit, we have a sill where it rises to 150 feet deep. After that, we’re into the Sea of Marmara and finally the Aegean Sea. The current flow at the shallower levels, is north to south, into the Sea of Marmara. At the deeper levels, it’s south to north into the Black Sea. This is where we make our stand.” He tapped the chart at the Bosporus.
“Nathan. The whole fucking Black Sea Fleet is out there,” protested Gabriel. “We need to join the 6th Fleet, back in the Marmara and the Aegean.”
Nathan shook his head. “No XO, we’ll hold them at ‘the hot gates’.
Gabriel frowned, “What’s that?”
Nathan grinned. “It was the narrowest point at Thermopylae. Where a small Spartan force held off a Persian Army. We’ll fight an underwater battle of Thermopylae and hold back the Russian hordes until the 6th Fleet arrives.”
Gabriel laughed. “I’d ask if you’re serious, but I know you are. You’re either brilliant or some kind of nut.”
“I think he’s both,” said Franks.
“So Nathan,” said Gabriel, “we’re going to play the part of the 300 Spartans? You know what happened to them.”
“Yes, but we’ll try to avoid that outcome. It’s worse really, we’re not 300 we’re just 135 on board. But I won’t tell the Russians if you don’t. He smiled.
“If you face overwhelming odds, you have to fight dirty,” said Nathan. “Let your plans be dark, impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt. That was Sun Tzu.” Nathan stood.
“Karl,” he said to Franks, “can we make a communication to 6th Fleet after the meeting?”
“Yes?”
“It’s 12.05 hours now. So, the message begins.” He wrote it down. “Operation VOROTA begins at H hour. 13.00 local. USS New York City advancing to start line. They shall not pass.”
Nathan pointed to the Black Sea entrance of the Bosporus.
“Captain, our start line is north…”
RUSSIAN TACTICS WERE first and foremost; clear the Bosporus of any subsurface threats. This was vital before warships could transit the strait.
Russian airborne. The VDV would capture key commanding locations along the Bosporus from where the Turkish army could offer any resistance. This was also necessary before ships could pass through. Once through into the Mediterranean, the fleet could be supplied from the Russian naval base at Tartus and the airbase at Latakia, both in Syria. The whole operation wouldn’t be a permanent deployment; unless of course, the opportunity presented itself. Russian forces would be withdrawn from the Bosporus soon after the Fleet had passed and objectives were met.
The intention was first to establish a commanding presence around Ukraine and the Black Sea, secondly to gain a firm foothold in the Mediterranean.
Russia would then command the Black Sea and become a major presence in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Shipping access to The Black Sea via the Bosporus was guaranteed by the Montreux convention of 1936. The Russian leadership knew that the allies would huff and puff at the UN, but possession was nine tenths of the law.
First, clear the Bosporus then all else would fall into place. Russian Admirals and VDV commanders had said it would take less than a day.
UNDER THE STRAIT WAS a presence that would challenge that viewpoint.
The Russian military leadership hadn’t taken all into account.
The USS New York City stood alone but unbowed.
One submarine, one strait. One hell of a battle.
Chapter 14
USS NEW YORK CITY ADVANCED to the south side of the ridge.
“Weaps, warload status,” said Franks.
“All tubes, Mk 48 CBASS sir.” Nathan grinned.
“Hold at 230 feet, we’ll hide behind the ridgeline,” said Franks. “Nosey, what’s going on out there?”
“Sir, three Kilo class. They’re distant, range eight miles, but running in fast. I think they’re overconfident.”
“Right, let them get close, let me know when they get to each mile marker.”
Nosey counted them down. Nathan closed his eyes, please don’t let me screw up.
“Four miles.”
A couple of minutes went by.
“Three miles to run sir. Two minutes 55 seconds, elapsed time. That’s speed 19 knots.”
“Good work Nosey.”
This was just the start, knew Franks.
“Two miles sir.”
“Weaps, flood tubes one to three, open outer doors.” Nathan’s fingers flew over his touchscreen.
“Firing solution laid in. Tangos one, two and three. Tubes one to three flooded, doors open. Fish ready in all respects. The fish are hungry sir.”
The seconds counted down.
“Range one mile sir,” said Nosey.
“Trim forward and rear. Come up to 150 feet.”
“Mark, depth 150 feet. Sir.”
“Launch tubes one to three. Go.” Nathan launched the three fish, spacing the timing.
“Fish launched, fish one to port, fish three to starboard. Fish two, right up the middle. Closing, closing. Fish pinging, fish two is pinging, three pinging. I’m cutting the wire…” he waited, “cutting now.” He watched his display.
“Tango two has released countermeasures,” said Nosey.
“Fish running in, pinging, fish terminal, fish are hungry.”
“Hot datum Tango one,” said Nosey. “Hot datum Tangos two and three. All Kilos down sir. Hull ripping sounds, gas escape. Huge gas escape.”
“RIP three Kilos,” said Nathan, “Closing doors, draining. Reloading tubes one to three.”
Franks knew it was a good start, but the enemy would be ready now. They knew a daemon of the deep was waiting for them.
TEN MINUTES WENT BY. Pigeon didn’t have much to do, saw Franks. She looked tense, this was her first undersea action after all.
“Weaps. Show Pigeon the key engagement positions in the Bosporus. Pigeon, get the headings from one to another worked out. Also, chart bearings for any dogleg course runs down the channel. I want all I need ready, when I need it.”