A first flight of F/A18’s would release LRASM, the long-range anti-ship missile from two fifty miles away. Next, another flight would release the JASSM missile from one eighty miles away. Yet another flight would release JSOW from sixty miles range. The last two had infrared terminal guidance. All three would be timed to arrive among the PLAN fleet at the same time, hopefully causing mayhem.
This would be quickly followed up by a punch in the guts. Diamondback aircrew Hole and Thong were part of the punch.
“Twenty miles from east coast, it’s time we got down there.” Thong switched to the flight channel.
“Diamond flight, this is Cocaine one. North and south break now, decent to ingress points.”
Replies came back and the two flights parted to the left and right. Cocaine one, Hole and Thong’s aircraft was in overall command but in the southern wing. The aircraft descended it was soon at two hundred feet over the sea. They roared over the coast and pulled right and turned down a valley.
“Cocaine one, feet dry.” It was then a hard left over a small lake and right down another valley. It was weave and thread down green wooded valley after valley.
“Cocaine flight, Smoky Tiger flight. We are taking up positions. I see flashes among the PLAN fleet, your birds are on target.”
“Copy Smoky Tiger. Glad you’re with us.”
Smoky Tiger flight were ROC air force F16’s and F-CK-1’s flying top cover. They’d keep the Chinese air force fighters occupied. It sounded like the missiles had arrived among the invasion fleet.
“Cocaine one, Magic flight here, forked tongue is now on and singing.”
Lily smiled behind her respirator mask. “Copy Magic.”
Just behind and above them EA-18G Growlers the Electronic warfare variant of the F/A-18F were now spreading electronic confusion and misinformation among the PLAN fleet, false signals, jamming, mock missile launches, the whole kit and kaboodle of electronic double speak or Magic was now unleashed.
Suddenly they crossed the beach and were out over the sea. Nick “Hole” glanced down, the waves flashed by sixty yards below. Spread all across the horizon were ships, Chinese warships, plumes of black smoke and flames arose from several of them. Lily “Thong” reached over and selected Master Arm on, Mk 80 iron bombs and CBU-97 cluster weapons.
“Line up on the untouched ships Hole, let’s give them a USN welcome.”
ONBOARD CHENGDU, MAY ran along the open deck to her battle stations. She was to supervise the stern flight deck damage control crews. She hadn’t a clue about a ships damage control, thankfully the Petty Officers who ran each crew did, so she’d say a few obvious commands like, tackle that fire before it gets to the helicopter. That sort of thing. She looked skyward and admitted to herself that she was terrified. Several ships had been hit by missiles and now F 18’s screamed by dropping bombs. May saw a nearby ship hit by a cluster bomb. It didn’t look pretty. Alarms sounded, and ships launched missiles at the aircraft. Sailors ran about the decks in near panic. She heard her own ship fire its H70C CWIS, a last-ditch radar-controlled Gatling gun missile defence system. It made a harsh burrrrr, burrrrr sound as thousands of rounds were unleashed. She was torn, glad the defences fired back but she knew these were USN aircraft trying to sink her countries enemies. She knew it was stupid, but they could sink the rest but leave the Chengdu alone. She saw an F18 hit by a missile, it burst into flames and crashed into the sea. May scowled, it wasn’t headed for her ship. But still, it was defending her country.
She cursed herself. “Ni ta ma di Baichi.” You fucking idiot.
May reached her battle station, so far there was no damage, that could change fast.
“All crews prepared?” she asked the Petty Officer.
“Yes Sir.” An F18 rushed by roaring, the bomb it dropped fell long into the sea. That was near. May found herself thinking of Commander Jin Long, she hoped he was ok. May shook her head, you fool you should wish him dead. She knew she couldn’t. She looked out to sea at the battle raging. Aircraft whizzing by dropping bombs, fires and black smoke rising, missiles climbing on towers of flame and smoke. The noise told you everything, the shouts of the men, roaring jets, explosions and the rushing screams of missiles flying. What a sorry day, May looked out sadly, what a sorry day.
As if to confirm this a Frigate around a mile away took a hit from an air dropped cluster weapon. She saw a radome shredded and fires broke out on board. The attacking F18 took a hit to the rear fuselage from the ship’s CIWS gun. It turned and flew east back to Taiwan trailing smoke, she hoped it made it ashore safely.
Chapter 10
“PLANESMAN, PERISCOPE depth.” The boat’s deck inclined upwards to the bow.
“Periscope depth Sir.” Nathan raised the mast and carried out a 360 degree scan. His monitor showed nothing. “Benson, any contact?”
“No boats or ships within fifty miles Sir.” He looked at Nikki. “Kaminski, confirm our satellite position.”
She’d anticipated this and checked it already.
“At our requested position Sir.”
He turned to the XO who was checking the message they’d received. “That’s it Sir, we’re at the rendezvous location. I’ll call the Chief Engineer and ask him to start his diesels. We’ll take the time to charge the batteries.” Nathan nodded. He waited another five minutes then raised up the scope again and scanned. It was now dusk and the light was fading, the scope rotated to the north. There she was, around two hundred yards away. Lying dark and low in the water, a prominent sonar mast stood to forward above her hull mounted foreplanes.
Amidships she’d a long sail tapering down toward the stern. At her stern was a vertical fin above her drive. Nathan nodded, he’d seen her like before. HMS Bellerophon was a Royal Navy Astute class boat. Nuclear powered, an SSN.
Nathan had worked with them before, not as quiet as his boat but with a better sonar. She’d be armed with Spearfish torpedoes, equivalent to the Mk 48, Tomahawk cruise missiles and Harpoon missiles. Bellerophon was named after the ship of the line that fought at the battle of Trafalgar. The message from COMSUBPAC read, be at this location at this time, surface to meet a friend. Your contact is….
“That’s her now. COB, get a boat party together with the inflatable, I’m going over there.”
A few minutes later Nathan climbed the sail in his blue coverall and baseball cap, on deck two sailors sat alongside with a torch, the outboard engine was running. He climbed in and a sailor on deck cast off a rope. The inflatable boat pulled away and made its way over to the nuclear boat floating quietly in the darkness. The inflatable pulled alongside the SSN and two British sailors took up the mooring rope and helped Nathan onboard.
“Make your way up the sail Sir and down the access ladder.” His accent was British of course, unusual but expected. Nathan climbed down the sail. He stood on deck and a sailor stood waiting. “If you’ll follow me Sir.” He followed the sailor down the companionway to forward. He was soon in the control room. It was not unlike his boat, banks of computer terminals with men and women wearing headsets looking at screens. A man strode forward, a little older than him with brown greying hair. Brown intelligent eyes stared out over a slight smile.
“Welcome aboard Bellerophon. Commander Frank Pike. Let’s retire to the Wardroom. Chief, get the Galley to rustle up two teas and some choccy biccys.” Nathan followed him to the Wardroom. At first glance the boat wasn’t a whole lot different than his. They walked into the Wardroom and sat at the table, on the wall was a picture of the young King and a sea battle. Old sail flying ships of the line raked each other with smoke and cannon fire. The title read, Bellerophon at Trafalgar in combat with four of the enemy 1805.