tc.redstormrising-第35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！


　trying　to　vector　toward　the　returning　fighter…bombers…but　the　American　fighters　still　had　their　aerial　radars　to　direct　them；　and　the　Soviets　did　not。　The　results　reflected　it。　The　Soviet　fighters　had　not　had　time　to　reorganize　after　the　loss　of　the　Mainstays；　and　their　formations　were　savaged。　Even　worse；　the　SAM　batteries　that　were　supposed　to　support　the　MiGs　were　ordered　to　engage　the　invading　aircraft；　and　the　surface…to…air　missiles　began　to　pluck　targets　out　of　the　sky　entirely　without　discrimination　as　the　NATO　aircraft　clung　to　the　nap　of　the　earth。
By　the　time　the　last　aircraft　recrossed　the　border　into　West　Germany；　Operation　Dreamland　had　lasted　a　total　of　twenty…seven　minutes。　It　had　been　a　costly　mission。　Two　of　the　priceless　Frisbees　and　eleven　strike　aircraft　had　been　lost。　Yet　it　had　been　a　success。　Over　two　hundred　Soviet　all…weather　fighters　had　been　destroyed　by　the　NATO　fighters；　and　perhaps　a　hundred　more　by　〃friendly〃　SAMs。　The　most　elite　squadrons　of　the　Soviet　air…defense　force　had　been　brutalized；　and　because　of　it；　for　the　time　being　NATO　would　own　the　night　skies　over　Europe。　Thirty…six　major　bridges　had　been　targeted：　thirty　had　been　destroyed　and　all　of　the　rest　damaged。　The　initial　Soviet　ground　attack　scheduled　to　begin　in　two　hours　would　not　be　supported　by　the　second　echelon；　nor　by　specialty　units　of　mobile　SAMs；　engineers；　and　other　crucial　late…arrivals　fresh　from　special　training　in　the　Soviet　homeland。　Finally；　the　attacks　against　airfields　would　give　NATO　air　parity；　at　least　for　the　moment。　The　NATO　air　forces　had　fulfilled　their　most　crucial　mission：　the　much　feared　Soviet　ground　superiority　was　decisively　reduced。　The　land　battle　for　Western　Europe　would　now　be　fought　on　nearly　even　terms。

USS　PHARRIS
It　was　still　the　previous　day　on　the　American　East　Coast。　USS　PHARRIS　led　the　way　out　of　the　Delaware　at　2200　hours。　Behind　her　was　a　convoy　of　thirty　ships；　with　a　dozen　escorting　vessels。　In　both　cases　it　was　all　that　could　be　assembled　on　the　short　notice。　Dozens　of　American　and　foreign　flag　vessels　were　racing　to　American　ports；　many　taking　southerly　routings　to　keep　as　far　away　as　possible　from　the　Soviet　submarines　reported　surging　south　from　the　Norwegian　Sea。　The　first　few　days　would　be　tough；　Morris　knew。
〃Captain；　please　e　to　munications；〃　the　announcing　system　squawked。　Morris　immediately　went　aft　to　the　always…locked　radio　room。
〃It's　for…real。〃　The　munications　officer　handed　him　the　yellow　message　form。　Morris　read　it　in　the　dim　lights。

Z0357Z15JUNE
FR：SACLANT
TO：　ALL　SACLANT　SHIPS
TOP　SECRET
1。　EXECUTE　UNRESTRICTED　AIR　AND　SEA　WARFARE　AGAINST　WARSAW　PACT　FORCES。
2。　WARPLAN　GOLF　TAC　7。
3。　STOUT　HEARTS。　SACLANT　SENDS。

Rules　of　Engagement　War　Option　Seven。　That　meant　no　nukes；　he　was　perfectly　happy　to　see…PHARRIS　didn't　have　any　at　the　moment。　He　was　now　free　to　engage　without　warning　any　East　Bloc　warship　or　merchant　vessel。　Well　。　。　。　Morris　nodded。　He　tucked　the　message　form　into　his　pocket；　returned　to　the　bridge；　and　went　without　a　word　to　the　microphone。
〃This　is　the　captain　speaking。　Listen　up：　It's　official。　We　are　now　in　a　shooting　war。　No　more　drills；　gentlemen。　If　you　hear　an　alarm　from　now　on；　it　means　there's　a　Bad　Guy　out　there；　and　they　have　live　weapons；　too。　That　is　all。〃　He　hung　up　and　looked　over　to　the　officer　of　the　deck。　〃Mr。　Johnson；　I　want　the　Prairie/Masker　systems　operating　continuously。　If　they　go　down；　I　want　to　know　about　it　at　once。　That　goes　in　the　order　book。〃
〃Aye；　Captain。〃
Prairie/Masker　was　a　system　for　defeating　submarine　sonars。　Two　metallic　bands　surrounded　the　frigate's　hull；　fore　and　aft　of　the　engine　spaces。　This　was　Masker。　It　took　pressed　air　and　bled　it　into　the　water　around　the　ship　in　the　form　of　millions　of　tiny　bubbles。　The　Prairie　part　of　the　system　did　the　same　with　the　propeller　blades。　The　air　bubbles　created　a　semipermeable　barrier　that　tended　to　trap　sounds　made　by　the　ship；　letting　only　a　fraction　of　her　propulsion　noises　escape…which　made　the　ship　extremely　difficult　for　a　submarine　to　detect。
〃How　long　till　we　clear　the　channel？〃　Morris　asked。
〃We'll　be　at　the　sea　buoy　in　ninety　minutes。〃
〃Okay；　tell　the　bosun's　mate　of　the　watch　to　be　ready　to　stream　the　tail　and　the　Nixie〃…the　towed…array　sonar　and　the　Nixie　torpedo　decoy…〃at　twenty…three　forty…five。　I'm　going　to　take　a　nap。　Wake　me　at　twentythree　thirty。　Anything　happens；　call　me。〃
〃Aye　aye；　sir。〃
A　trio　of　P…3C　Orion　antisubmarine　aircraft　swept　the　area　ahead　of　them。　The　only　hazard　was　that　of　normal　navigation；　and　suddenly　the　prospect　of　grazing　the　bottom　or　smashing　an　errant　buoy　looked　like　a　minor　affair。　He'd　need　his　sleep　now；　Morris　knew；　and　he　would　not　be　at　all　surprised　to　find　a　submarine　waiting　right　on　the　continental　shelf　in　three　hours。　He'd　want　to　be　rested　for　that　eventuality。

SUNNYVALE；　CALIFORNIA
What　was　holding　Washington　up？　the　colonel　asked　himself　All　he　needed　was　a　simple　yes　or　no。　He　checked　his　boards。　Three　KH…type　photoreconnaissance　satellites　were　currently　in　orbit；　plus　nine　electronic　surveillance　birds。　That　was　his　low…level　〃constellation。〃　He　didn't　fear　for　his　higher…flying　navigation　and　munications　satellites；　but　the　twelve　in　low　earth　orbit；　especially　the　KHs；　were　valuable　and　vulnerable。　Two　of　them　had　Russian　killersats　in　close　proximity；　and　one　of　his　birds　was　now　approaching　Soviet　territory；　with　another　only　forty　minutes　behind。　The　third　Key…Hole　bird　didn't　have　a　satellite　assigned　yet；　but　the　last　pass　over　Leninsk　showed　another　F…type　booster　being　fueled　on　the　pad。
〃Take　another　look　at　the　trailer；〃　he　ordered。
A　technician　made　the　requisite　mands；　and　half　a　world　away；　the　satellite　fired　its　attitude　control　thrusters　and　pivoted　in　space　to　allow　its　cameras　to　search　for　the　Russian　killer　satellite。　It　had　held　position　fifty　miles　behind；　and　nine　miles　below　the　American　satellite；　but　now　was　。　。　。　gone。
〃They　moved　it。　They　moved　it　in　the　last　half　hour。〃　He　lifted　the　phone　to　tell　CINC…NORAD　that　he　was　moving　the　satellite　on　his　own　authority。　Too　late。　As　the　satellite　turned　again　to　point　its　cameras　at　the　ground；　a　cylindrical　mass　covered　a　sizable　percentage　of　the　earth's　face…there　was　a　flash　and　the　TV　screen　went　blank。　Just　like　that。
〃Chris；　you　have　those　maneuver　mands　set　up？〃
〃Yes；　sir；〃　the　captain　answered；　still　staring　at　the　screen。
〃Execute　them　right　now！〃
The　captain　called　up　the　mand　sequence　on　his　puter　console　and　punched　Enter。　The　colonel's　phone　rang　as　the　satellites'　onboard　rocket　motors　made　subtle　changes　in　their　orbital　paths。
〃Argus　Control；〃　the　colonel　answered。
〃This　is　CINC…NORAD。　What　the　hell　happened？〃
〃That　Russian　killersat　closed　and　detonated。　We　have　no　signal　from　the　KH…11；　sir。　I　must　assume　they　have　successfully　negated　the　bird。　I've　just　ordered　the　other　two　Key…Holes　to　make　a　hundred…foot…persecond　delta…V。　Tell　Washington　they　waited　too　long；　sir。〃

18　…　Polar　Glory

KIEV；　THE　UKRAINE
It　had　been　decided　that　all　Soviet　theater　and　front　manders　would　be　briefed　on　developments　in　Germany。　Alekseyev　and　his　superior　knew　why：　if　anyone　were　to　be　relieved　from　his　mand；　the　new　man　would　have　to　know　the　situation。　They　listened　to　the　intelligence　report　with　fascination。　Neither　of　them　had　expected　many　of　the　Spetznaz　attacks　to　fare　well；　but　it　seemed　that　some　had　been　successful；　especially　those　in　the　German　ports。　Then　the　operational　intelligence　brief　got　to　the　bridges　on　the　Elbe。
〃Why　weren't　we　warned　about　this？〃　CINC…Southwest　demanded。
〃rade　General；〃　the　Air　Force　officer　responded。　〃Our　information　was　that　this　Stealth　aircraft　was　a　prototype；　not　yet　in　regular　service。　Somehow　the　Americans　have　managed　to　construct　a　number　of　them；　at　least　part　of　a　squadron。　They　used　it　to　eliminate　our　airborne　radar　coverage；　thus　paving　the　way　for　a　massive　penetration　raid　against　our　airfields　and　lines　of　supply；　plus　a　well…planned　air　battle　against　our　all…weather　fighter　aircraft。　Their　mission　was　successful；　but　not　decisively　so。〃
〃Oh；　and　the　mander　of　Air　Forces　West　was　arrested　for　successfully　repelling　it；　eh？〃　Alekseyev　snarled。　〃How　many　aircraft　did　we　lose？〃
〃I　am　not　authorized　to　reveal　that；　rade　General。〃
〃Can　you　tell　us　of　the　bridges；　then！〃
〃Most　of　the　bridges　on　the　Elbe　have　been　damaged　to　some　extent　or　another；　plus　attacks　on　the　bridging　units　stationed　near　them　for　tactical　replacement。〃
〃The　fucking　maniac…he　had　his　bridging　units　right　next　to　the　primary　targets！〃　Southwest　looked　up　at　the　ceiling　as　though　expecting　an　air　attack　right　there　in　Kiev。
〃That　is　where　the　roads　are；　rade　General；〃　the　intelligence　officer　said　quietly。　Alekseyev　waved　him　out　of　the　room。
〃Not　a　good　start；　Pasha。〃　Already　a　general　had　been　arrested。　His　replacement　had　not　yet　been　named。
Alekseyev　nodded　agreement；　then　checked　his　watch。　〃The　tanks　will　cross　the　border　in　thirty　minutes；　and　we　have　a　few　surprises　in　store　for　them。　Only　half　of　their　reinforcements　are　in　place。　They　still　have　not　achieved　the　psychological　degree　of　preparedness　that　our　men　have。　Our　first　blow　will　hurt　them。　If　our　friend　in　Berlin　has　made　his　deployments　properly。〃

KEFLAVIK；　ICELAND
〃Perfect　weather；〃　First　Lieutenant　Mike　Edwards　pronounced；　looking　up　from　the　chart　just　off　the　facsimile　machine。　〃We　have　this　strong　cold　front　due　in　from　Canada　in　twenty　to　twenty…four　hours。　That'll　bring　a　lot　of　rain　with　it；　maybe　an　inch　worth；　but　for　all　of　today　we　have　clear　skies…less　than　two…tenths　high　clouds…and　no　precip。　Surface　winds　west　to　southwest　at　fifteen　to　twenty　knots。　And　lots　of　'shine'〃　he　concluded　with　a　grin。　The　sun　had　risen　for　the　last　time　nearly　five　weeks　before；　and　wouldn't　truly　set　for　another　five。　They　were　so　close　to　the　North　Pole　here　in　Iceland　that　in　summer　the　sun　wandered　in　a　lazy　circle　around　the　azure　sky；　dipping　fractionally　below　the　northwestern　horizon　but　never　truly　setting。　It　was　something　that　took　getting　used　to。
〃Fighter　weather；〃　agreed　Lieutenant　Colonel　Bill　Jeffers；　mander　of　the　57th　Fighter　Interceptor　squadron；　the　〃Black　Knights；〃　most　of　whose　F…15　Eagle　interceptors　were　sitting　in　the　open　a　bare　hundred　yards　away。　The　pilots　were　in　those　fighters；　waiting。　They'd　been　waiting　for　ninety　minutes　now。　Two　hours　before；　they'd　been　warned　of　a　large　number　of　Soviet　aircraft　taking　off　from　their　tactical　air　bases　on　the　Kola　Peninsula；　destination　unknown。
Keflavik　was　always　a　busy　place；　but　for　the　last　week　it　had　been　a　madhouse。　The　airport　was　a　bination　Navy　and　Air　Force　base　and　a　busy　international　airport　at　which　many　airliners　stopped　to　refuel。
The　past　week　had　seen　this　traffic　supplemented　by　grim　tactical　fighters　transiting　from　the　United　States　and　Canada　to　Europe；　cargo　aircraft　transporting　overloads　of　critical　equipment；　and　airliners　returning　to　America　crowded　with　pale　tourists　and　dependents　of　the　military　men　who　were　now　on　the　battle　line。　The　same　had　happened　to　Keflavik。　Three　thousand　wives　and　children　had　been　evacuated。　The　base　facility　was　cleared　for　action。　If　the　Soviets　kicked　off　the　war　that　seemed