THAT NIGHT THE PRESIDENT of Taiwan contacted Beijing, proposing a ceasefire, pending the withdrawal of PLA forces from the island. The politburo was split, some would comply, and some wanted to carry on until the job was done. There was no consensus. The deadline passed without any communication being received.
NATHAN AWOKE AND SAW the communique from COMSUBPAC on his monitor. At breakfast in the Galley he was joined by the XO.
“Morning Larry. I got a message from Pearl. The Government of the PRC didn’t answer.”
Larry grunted and gave him a faint smile.
“Sheeeit. Then I guess the Black Swan has had enough, furled her wings and landed in the local creek?”
“Yep.”
Chapter 16
THE NEXT NIGHT ANDERSEN AFB Guam was teeming with activity, aircraft were being loaded with fuel and arms. Trucks of all kinds and tankers scurried about. Finally, the aprons and runway were clear. First to taxi out were B1-B Lancers, one by one they rolled down the long strip and climbed trailing two trails of flame into the night. Next it was the B2 Spirits’ turn, they left without so much drama but carried a deadly load.
Rolling down the three-thousand-yard runway “Betty, Bang Bang” a laden B52 climbed away from RAAF Base Darwin, in Northern Australia. She was joined by “Eat this boys,” “Hard rain’s a comin,” and others, all headed north.
“SIR, MULTIPLE SURFACE targets to the south, range 50 miles.”
“Any subsurface contacts?”
“No sir but we are below a layer, if we can come above, I can listen for any.”
“Planes, trim for ascent come to one five zero meters.”
“One five zero Sir.” The boat rose up to four hundred and fifty feet, the sonar operator listened. “No subsurface contacts sir.”
“Fine, they’re probably all to the south of the fleet. Weapons, designate targets as you see fit, east side bias, prioritise sinking ships not causing damage.
Planes, trim for ascent, come to periscope depth.” The boat sloped upward to the bow, after long seconds it came level.
“Periscope depth sir.”
The Weapons Officer looked at the Captain and nodded. “Flooding all six tubes, outer doors open, launch tube one, surface, motor hot, the bird is in the air.
Launch tube two, surface, motor hot, the bird is in the air.” The control room voices were piped throughout the boat. As each missile flew to its target the whole crew raised their arms and shouted their war cry. Soon all six Harpoon missiles would be rushing in towards their targets. Benevolent Dragon had struck the first blow of operation Black Swan.
“Sir, I have sounds from the west consistent with White Dragon launching her birds.”
“Weapons, load tubes one to four with type 89 fish, five and six with Harpoon. Planes, come about, speed 14 knots, trim for descent, make your depth one hundred meters.
ALL THE CREW KNEW IT was nearly time. It was D day, H hour. The boat had come to periscope depth. Nathan looked at his wrist, the Omega Seamaster indicated two minutes to go.
“Benson. Sitrep on the enemy.”
“We have major surface combatants from 66 miles range and northwards. Subsurface, I have faint traces of two contacts beyond 45 miles sir, no classification yet but suspected SSN’s.”
“Weaps, flood all tubes and open outer doors.”
“Sir.”
Let’s hope the Air Force boys have their shit together tonight, he watched the seconds tick down. That’s it, H hour.
“Weaps, launch tubes one through six.”
“Launch tube one. On surface, bird is in the air, she’s off.”
“Launch tube two. On surface, bird is in the air.”
All six missiles were flying at low level, bound for the Chinese fleet.
“Weaps, ready VPM tubes one and two.” The Weapons Officer’s fingers flew over the screen surface.
There were seven dispensers, in each VPM tube. Each would rise to the surface. The cap would blow off, and a Tomahawk BGN-109 cruise missile’s motor would ignite, and the bird would fly. The warheads were 1,600 pound HE-FRAG round or 166 BLU 97/B bomblets. The Tomahawks, or TLAMs would fly in from unlikely directions.
“Tubes now ready in all respects, they’re ready sir.”
“Launch Weaps, go, go, go.” From aft came a faint whooshing sound. “On the surface, reports launch, good burn. Motor in, wings deployed, gaining altitude. People, we have a bird.”
One by one they rose to the surface, ignited their motors and soared into the night.
Benson spoke out. “Sir, twelve miles out to port, Bellerophon’s launching her birds and ten miles to starboard Suffren is launching hers.”
Nathan knew that Bellerophon would be launching Harpoon and Tomahawk too.
Suffren would launch her Exocet SM39 sea skimming missiles, the equivalent of the Harpoon.
She’d also launch, her SCALP Naval missiles, cruise missiles with a 620 miles range.
MINUTES EARLIER, WEST of The Philippines over the South China Sea, the B52’s “Betty, Bang Bang” along with “Eat this boys,” “Hard rain’s a comin,” and others approached.
“Coming up on release, Billbo,” said the Weapons systems Officer, aircraft commander of Hard rain’s a comin, “we’ve shit ready to drop.”
“Keeping her steady WSO.”
“How’s the threat board McGary?”
“All clear, this far south,” said the Electronic Warfare Officer.
“Ok, running in, Bombay doors open, master arm on, Tomahawk armed, JAASM armed, running in, hold. Bombs away,” He watched the display as the motors kicked in.
“Tomahawk and JAASM all lit and cooking, we have a bunch of good birds. You make Uncle Joe’s day ya hear.” The pilot looked out to the right and started a long slow turn back to RAAF Darwin.
SEVEN MINUTES AFTER launching, Benevolent Dragon and White Dragon’s twelve Harpoons found their marks. They’d been detected too late for the ship’s CIWS to be engaged. Three frigates and a Destroyer received two hits each. Two of the frigates started to list, the Destroyer was a wreck waiting to happen and fires raged throughout. More Harpoons found targets, another four ships were out of action and fought fires. On one a frigate the magazine was breached, fires caused shipboard missiles to fly and one to explode. The rear ships of the PLAN task force had been sunk or put out of action.
More Harpoon’s had been launched by ROC F16’s over Taiwan, these too scored many hits. The F16’s found themselves targets as BVRAAM long range missiles, launched from SU30MKK and J11 fighters raced in. Many but not all were defeated by countermeasures or violent last-minute jinking. The aircraft soon merged into a furball and short-range turning fights developed. Many pilots ejected or died that day at the hands of Vymple R-73, PL-9 and Sidewinder missiles.
Then the hard rain fell. Dozens of Tomahawks and JAASM launched from B52’s arrived.
Simultaneously, USS Stonewall Jackson, HMS Bellerophon and Suffren’s Harpoons, Tomahawks, Exocet’s, and SCALP flew into the melee.
The Chinese CIWS, now activated took several out, but the Fleet’s defences were overwhelmed. After several minutes the PLAN invasion fleet was a mess of fires black smoke and devastation, some vessels did come through relatively unscathed. Most of the landing ships were also untouched.
NATHAN HAD WAITED BUT he had to take a look. He set up the periscope to do a 180 sweep, it popped up, swept and retracted. He slid the display from left to right. It was burning ships smoke, carnage.
“Planesman, trim for descent, down bubble fifteen, make your depth three hundred feet.” He knew Pike and Manaudou would have done the same as he did.