tc.redstormrising-第34章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


〃Twenty　miles；　Duke。〃
〃Right。　Call　it　off；　Don。〃
〃Roge。　Still　no　fire…control　emanations　on　us；　and　no　search　stuff　is　lingering　our　way。　Lots　of　radio　chatter；　but　mostly　west　of　us。　Very　little　VOX　ing　from　the　target。〃
Ellington　reached　his　left　hand　down　to　arm　the　four　AIM…9M　Sidewinder　missiles　hanging　under　his　wings。　The　weapon…indicator　light　blinked　a　lethal；　friendly　green。
〃Eighteen　miles。　Target　appears　to　be　circling　normally；　not　taking　evasive　action。〃
Ten　miles　to　the　minute；　Ellington　puted　in　his　mind；　one　minute　forty　seconds。
〃Sixteen　miles。〃　Eisly　read　the　numbers　off　a　puter　readout　keyed　to　the　NAVSTAR　satellite　navigation　system。
The　Mainstay　would　not　have　a　chance。　The　Frisbee　would　not　begin　to　climb　until　she　was　directly　underneath　the　target。　Fourteen　miles。　Twelve。　Ten。　Eight。　Six　miles　to　the　converted　air　transport。
〃The　Mainstay　just　reversed　her　turn…yeah；　she's　jinking。　A　Foxfire　just　swept　over　us；〃　Eisly　said　evenly。　A　MiG…25　interceptor；　presumably　acting　on　instructions　from　the　IL…76；　was　now　searching　for　them。　With　its　high　power　and　small　arc；　the　Foxfire　stood　a　good　chance　of　acquiring　them；　Stealth　technology　or　not。　〃The　Mainstay　might　have　us。〃
〃Anything　locked　on　us？〃
〃Not　yet。〃　Eisly's　eyes　were　glued　to　the　threat…receiver　instruments。　No　missile…control　radars　had　centered　on　the　Frisbee　yet。　〃ing　under　the　target。〃
〃Right。　Climbing　now。〃　Ellington　eased　back　on　his　stick　and　punched　up　full　afterburners。　The　Frisbee's　engines　could　only　give　him　Mach　1。3；　but　this　was　the　place　to　use　all　the　power　he　had。　According　to　the　weather　people；　these　clouds　topped　out　at　twenty　thousand　feet；　and　the　IL…76　would　be　about　five　thousand　above　that。　Now　the　Frisbee　was　vulnerable。　No　longer　lost　in　the　ground　clutter；　her　engines　radiating　their　maximum　signature；　the　Stealth　aircraft　was　broadcasting　her　presence。　Climb　faster；　baby　。　。　。
〃Tallyho！〃　Ellington　said　too　loudly　over　the　inter　as　he　burst　through　the　clouds；　and　the　night…vision　systems　instantly　showed　him　the　Mainstay；　five　miles　away　and　diving　for　cover　in　front　of　him。　Too　late。　The　head…on　closing　speed　was　nearly　a　thousand　miles　per　hour。　The　colonel　centered　his　gunsight　pipper　on　the　target。　A　warbling　tone　came　into　his　headset：　the　Sidewinders'　seekers　had　locked　onto　the　target。　His　right　thumb　toggled　the　launch…enable　switch；　and　his　forefinger　squeezed　the　trigger　twice。　The　Sidewinders　left　the　aircraft　half　a　second　apart。　Their　brilliant　exhaust　flames　dazzled　him；　but　he　did　not　take　his　eyes　off　the　missiles　as　they　raced　for　the　target。　It　took　eight　seconds。　He　looked　them　all　the　way　in。　Both　missiles　angled　for　the　Mainstay's　starboard　wing。　Thirty　feet　away；　laser　proximity　fuses　detonated；　filling　the　air　with　lethal　fragments。　It　happened　too　fast。　Both　of　the　Mainstay's　right…side　engines　exploded；　the　wing　came　off；　and　the　Soviet　aircraft　began　cartwheeling　violently　downward；　lost　seconds　later　in　the　clouds。
Jesus！　Ellington　thought　as　he　rolled　and　dived　back　to　the　ground　and　safety。　Nothing　like　the　movies。　The　target　was　hit　and　gone　between　blinks。　Well；　okay；　that　was　easy　enough。　Primary　target　gone。　Now　for　the　hard　part　。　。　。
Aboard　an　E…3A　Sentry　circling　over　Strasbourg；　the　radar　technicians　noted　with　satisfaction　that　all　five　Soviet　radar　craft　had　been　killed　within　two　minutes：　it　all　worked；　the　F…19　really　did　surprise　them。
The　brigadier　general　in　mand　of　Operation　Dreamland　leaned　forward　in　his　mand　chair　and　toggled　his　microphone。
〃Trumpeter；　Trumpeter；　Trumpeter；〃　he　said；　then　switched　off。　〃Okay；　boys；〃　he　breathed。　〃Make　it　count。〃
Amid　the　clouds　of　NATO　tactical　fighters　hovering　near　the　border；　a　hundred　low…level　attack　fighters　broke　clear　and　dove　for　the　ground。　Half　were　F…111F　Aardvarks；　the　other　half　〃GR。　I　〃　Tornados；　their　wings　heavy　with　fuel　tanks　and　smart　bombs。　They　followed　the　second　wave　of　Frisbees；　already　sixty　miles　into　East　Germany；　fanning　out　to　their　ground　targets。　Behind　the　strike　aircraft；　all…weather　Eagle　and　Phantom　interceptors；　directed　by　the　Sentries　circling　over　the　Rhein；　began　to　launch　their　radar…guided　missiles　at　Soviet　fighters　that　had　just　lost　their　airborne　controllers。　Finally；　a　third　team　of　NATO　aircraft　swooped　in　low；　seeking　out　the　ground　radar　sites　that　were　ing　on　to　replace　the　radar　coverage　of　the　dead　Mainstays。

HOHENROARTHE；　GERMAN　DEMOCRATIC　REPUBLIC
Ellington　circled　his　target　at　a　thousand　feet；　several　miles　away。　It　was　a　double　bridge；　a　pair　of　concrete　arches；　each　about　five　hundred　yards　across；　and　with　two　traffic　lanes；　that　crossed　the　River　Elbe　in　the　middle　of　a　gentle　S…curve。　Pretty　bridges。　Ellington　guessed　that　they　dated　back　to　the　thirties；　since　this　main　road　from　Berlin　to　Braunschweig　had　been　one　of　the　first　autobahns。　Ole　Adolf　himself　might　have　driven　across　these　bridges；　Ellington　reflected。　So　much　the　better。
At　the　moment；　a　low…light　television　in　his　targeting　systems　showed　them　to　be　covered　with　Russian　T…80　tanks；　all　heading　west。　Ellington　evaluated　the　picture　on　his　television　screen。　This　could　only　be　the　second　echelon　of　the　army　deployed　to　attack　NATO。　There　was　an　SA…6　battery　atop　Hill　76　south　of　the　bridges　on　the　east　bank；　sited　there　to　defend　them。　It　had　to　be　fully　alert　now。　His　earphones　chirped　constantly　with　noise　from　his　threat　receiver　as　the　search　radars　from　a　score　of　air…defense　batteries　swept　continuously　over　his　aircraft。　If　only　one　of　them　got　a　good　return　。　。　。　Pucker　factor；　Ellington　reflected　grimly。
〃How's　the　Pave　Tack？〃
〃Nominal；〃　Eisly　responded　curtly。　Pilot　and　back…seater　were　both　under　enormous　stress。
〃Illuminate；〃　Ellington　ordered。　In　the　back　seat；　Eisly　activated　the　Pave　Tack　target…illumination　laser。
The　elaborate　Pave　Tack　gear　was　built　into　the　Frisbee's　drooping　nosecone。　Its　lowermost　part　was　a　rotating　turret　containing　a　carbondioxide　laser　and　television　camera。　The　major　used　his　joystick　controls　to　center　the　TV　picture　on　the　bridge；　then　unmasked　the　infrared　laser。　An　invisible　dot　appeared　in　the　center　of　the　north　span's　bridge　deck。　A　puter　system　would　keep　it　there　until　told　to　do　otherwise；　and　a　videotape　recorder　would　make　a　visual　record　of　the　raid's　success　or　failure。
〃The　target　is　lit；〃　Eisly　said。　〃Still　no　fire…control　radars　on　us。〃
〃Nemo；　this　is　Shade　4。　The　target　is　lit。〃
〃Roge。〃
Fifteen　seconds　later　the　first　Aardvark　screamed　south　a　bare　thirty　feet　over　the　water；　popped　up；　and　loosed　a　single　GBU…15　Paveway　laser…guided　bomb　before　it　turned　hard　to　the　east　over　Hohenroarthe。　An　optical…puter　system　in　the　bomb's　nose　noted　the　deflected　infrared　beam；　centered　it；　and　adjusted　the　fins　accordingly。
South　of　the　bridge；　the　SAM　battery　mander　was　trying　to　decide　what　the　noise　was。　His　search　radar　did　not　show　the　Frisbee。　He　had　been　told　not　to　expect　the　presence　of　〃friendly〃　aircraft…the　safe　travel　lane　was　fifteen　miles　to　the　north；　over　the　Frontal　Aviation　base　at　Mahlminkel。　Maybe　that's　where　the　noise　was　ing　from；　he　thought。　No　special　alarm　has　been　sent　out…
The　northern　horizon　went　bright　yellow。　Though　he　did　not　know　it；　four　Luftwaffe　Tornados　had　just　made　a　single　pass　over　Mahlminkel；　leaving　hundreds　of　explosive　cluster　munitions　in　their　wake。　A　half…dozen　Soviet　Sukhoi　attack　fighters　went　up　in　flames；　sending　a　fireball　of　jet　fuel　that　rose　up　into　the　rain…filled　sky。
The　battery　mander　hesitated　not　at　all…he　shouted　an　order　for　his　men　to　switch　their　fire…control　radars　from　stand…by　to　active；　and　trace　them　around　〃their〃　bridges。　A　moment　later；　one　detected　an　F…111　ing　upriver。
〃Oh；　shit！〃　The　Aardvark's　systems　operator　instantly　loosed　a　Shrike　antiradar　missile　at　the　SAM　battery；　another　for　good　measure　at　the　search　radar；　a　second　Paveway　at　the　bridge；　then　the　F…111　turned　violently　left。
A　missile…launch　officer　blanched　as　he　realized　what　had　just　appeared　from　nowhere　onto　his　scopes；　and　salvoed　his　three　missiles　in　return。　The　ining　aircraft　had　to　be　hostile；　and　had　just　separated　three　smaller　objects　。　。　。
His　first　SAM　struck　and　exploded　on　the　high…tension　power　lines　that　spanned　the　river　just　south　of　the　bridges。　The　entire　valley　was　strobelighted　as　the　power　lines　fell　sparking　into　the　river。　The　other　two　SAMs　raced　past　the　surreal　explosion　and　locked　onto　the　second　F…111。
The　first　Paveway　impacted　precisely　in　the　center　of　the　northern　span。　It　was　a　delayed…action　bomb；　and　penetrated　into　the　thick　concrete　before　exploding　a　few　yards　from　a　battalion　mander's　tank。　The　north　span　was　strong…it　had　been　in　use　for　over　fifty　years…but　the　945　pounds　of　high　explosive　ripped　it　apart。　In　an　instant　the　graceful　concrete　arch　was　cut　in　two；　a　ragged　twenty…foot　gap　appearing　between　the　two　unsecured　flying　buttresses。　They　were　not　designed　to　stand　alone；　particularly　with　armored　vehicles　rumbling　over　them。　The　bomb　released　by　the　second　Aardvark　struck　closer　to　shore；　and　the　eastern　side　of　the　span　failed　entirely；　taking　eight　tanks　into　the　Elbe　with　it。
The　second　F…111　did　not　live　to　see　this；　however。　One　of　the　racing　SA…6　missiles　struck　it　broadside　and　blew　it　to　pieces　three　seconds　after　the　aircraft…launched　Shrikes　obliterated　the　pair　of　Soviet　radar　vehicles。　Neither　side　had　time　for　grief。　Another　F…111　screamed　upriver　as　the　surviving　SAM　crews　frantically　searched　for　targets。
Thirty　seconds　later；　the　north　span　was　totally　destroyed；　brick…sized　chunks　of　ferroconcrete　scattered　on　the　river　bottom　from　three　smartbomb　impacts。
Eisly　switched　his　laser…designator　to　the　south　span。　It　was　clogged　with　tanks；　logjammed　by　a　BMP…l　personnel　carrier　blown　whole　from　one　bridge　span　to　the　other　by　the　first　bomb；　torn　asunder　and　blazing　on　the　west　end　of　the　bridge。　The　fourth　Aardvark　lofted　a　pair　of　bombs　which　homed　in　remorselessly　on　the　laser…spot　now　stuck　on　the　turret　of　a　stopped　tank。　The　sky　was　alight　with　blazing　diesel　fuel　and　streaked　with　hand…launched　SAMs　that　had　been　blind…fired　by　panicked　riflemen。
Both　Paveways　exploded　a　scant　ten　feet　apart；　and　the　entire　bridge　span　failed　at　once；　dropping　a　pany　of　armored　vehicles　into　the　Elbe。
One　more　thing　to　do；　Ellington　told　himself；　there！　The　Soviets　had　stockpiled　bridging　equipment　on　the　secondary　road　paralleling　the　river。　The　engineers　were　probably　nearby。　The　Frisbee　screeched　over　the　rows　of　trucks；　each　of　which　carried　a　section　of　ribbon　bridge；　and　deployed　a　row　of　flares　before　skimming　back　west　toward　the　Federal　Republic　of　Germany；　and　safety。　The　three　surviving　Aardvarks　came　in　one　at　a　time；　each　dropping　a　pair　of　Rockeye　canisters　into　the　truck　park；　ripping　the　bridging　equipment　to　bits；　and；　their　pilots　fervently　hoped；　killing　some　of　the　skilled　bridging　engineers　as　well。　Then　the　Aardvarks　turned　west　to　follow　the　F…19　home。
By　this　time；　a　second　team　of　F…15　Eagle　fighters　had　darted　into　East　Germany　to　clear　four　lanes　for　the　returning　NATO　strike　aircraft。　They　fired　their　radar…and　infrared…guided　missiles　at　the　MiGs　trying　to　vector　toward　the　returning　fighter…bombers…but　the　Amer