tc.redstormrising-第48章

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in　a　six…g　turn　to　the　left　and　closed　on　a　parallel　course　before　turning　in。　The　next　burst　from　her　cannon　exploded　the　Badger　in　midair；　and　she　had　to　dive　to　avoid　the　wreckage。　The　engagement　lasted　all　of　ninety　seconds；　and　she　was　wringing　wet　with　perspiration。
〃Butch；　where　are　you？〃
〃I　got　one！　Buns；　I　got　one！〃　The　Eagle　pulled　up　alongside。
Nakamura　looked　around。　Suddenly　the　sky　was　clear。　Where　had　they　all　gone？
〃Navy　Hawk…One；　this　is　Golf；　do　you　read；　over？〃
〃Roger；　Golf。〃
〃Okay；　Navy。　We　just　smoked　four；　repeat　four；　Badgers　for　you。〃
'Make　that　five；　Buns！〃　the　other　element　leader　called　in。
〃Something's　wrong；　sir。〃　The　radar　operator　on　Hawk…One　motioned　to　his　scope。　〃We　have　these　buggers　just　popped　through；　and　they　say　they　bagged　some；　gotta　be　three；　four　hundred　miles　away。〃
〃Clipper　Base；　this　is　Hawk…One；　we　just　had　contact　with　an　Air　Force　ferry　flight　eastbound。　They　claim　they　just　splashed　five　Badgers　northbound　several　hundred　miles　north　of　us。　Say　again　northbound。〃
Toland's　eyebrows　went　up。
〃Probably　some　had　to　abort；〃　Baker　observed。　〃This　is　close　to　their　fuel　limit；　isn't　it？〃
〃Yes；　sir；〃　replied　Air/Ops。　He　didn't　look　happy　with　his　own　answer。
〃Burn…through；〃　announced　the　radar　operator。　〃We　have　reacquired　the　targets。〃
The　Kelts　had　flown　on；　oblivious　to　the　furor　around　them。　Their　radar　transponders　made　them　look　like　hundred…ten…foot　Badgers。　Their　own　white…noise　jammers　came　on；　somewhat　obscuring　them　yet　again　on　the　radar　scopes；　and　autopilot　controls　began　to　jerk　them　up；　down；　left；　right；　in　hundred…meter　leaps　as　an　aircraft　might　do　when　trying　to　avoid　a　missile。　The　Kelts　had　been　real　missiles　once；　but　on　retirement　from　front…line　service　six　years　earlier；　their　warheads　had　been　replaced　with　additional　fuel　tankage；　and　they　had　been　relegated　to　a　role　as　target　drones；　a　purpose　they　were　serving　admirably　now。
〃Tallyho！〃　The　first　squadron　of　twelve　Tomcats　was　now　a　hundred　fifty　miles　away。　The　Kelts　showed　up　perfectly　on　radar；　and　the　intercept　officers　in　the　back　seat　of　each　fighter　quickly　established　target　tracks。　The　Kelts　were　approaching　what　would　have　been　nominal　missile…launch　distance…if　they　were　the　bombers　everyone　thought　they　were。
The　Tomcats　launched　a　volley　of　million…dollar　AIM…54C　Phoenix　missiles　at　a　range　of　a　hundred　forty　miles。　The　missiles　blazed　in　on　their　targets　at　Mach…5；　directed　by　the　fighters'　targeting　radars。　In　under　a　minute　the　forty…eight　missiles　had　killed　thirty…nine　targets。　The　first　squadron　broke　clear　as　the　second　came　into　launch　position。

USS　NIMITZ
〃Admiral；　something　is　wrong　here；〃　Toland　said　quietly。
〃What　might　that　be？〃　Baker　liked　the　way　things　were　going。　Enemy　bomber　tracks　were　being　wiped　off　his　screen　just　as　the　war　games　had　predicted　they　would。
〃The　Russians　are　ing　in　dumb；　sir。〃
〃So？〃
〃So　this　far　the　Soviets　have　not　been　very　dumb！　Admiral；　why　aren't　the　Backfires　going　supersonic？　Why　one　attack　group？　Why　one　direction？〃
〃Fuel　constraints；〃　Baker　answered。　〃The　Badgers　are　at　the　limit　of　their　fuel；　they　have　to　e　in　direct。〃
〃But　not　the　Backfires！〃
〃The　course　is　right；　the　raid　count　is　right。〃　Baker　shook　his　head　and　concentrated　on　the　tactical　plot。
The　second　squadron　of　fighters　had　just　launched。　Unable　to　get　a　head…on　shot；　their　missile　accuracy　suffered　somewhat。　They　killed　thirty…four　targets　with　forty…eight　missiles。　There　had　been　a　hundred　fifty…seven　targets　plotted。
The　third　and　fourth　Tomcat　squadrons　arrived　together　and　launched　as　a　group。　When　their　Phoenixes　had　been　fully　expended；　nineteen　targets　were　left。　The　two　fighter　squadrons　moved　in　to　engage　the　remaining　targets　with　their　cannon。
〃Clipper　Base；　this　is　SAM　Boss。　We're　going　to　have　some　leakers。　Remend　we　start　lighting　up　SAM　radars。〃
〃Roger；　SAM　Boss。　Permission　granted；〃　answered　the　group　tactical　warfare　coordinator。

NORTH　ATLANTIC
〃I　have　air…search　radars；　bearing　zero…three…seven；〃　the　Bear　ESM　officer　noted。　〃They　have　detected　us。　Remend　we　illuminate　also。〃　The　Bear　lit　off　its　Big　Bulge　look…down　radar。


USS　NIMITZ
〃New　radar　contact。　Designate　Raid…2…〃
〃What？〃　snapped　Baker。　Next　came　a　call　from　the　fighters。
〃Clipper　Base；　this　is　Slugger　Lead。　I　have　a　visual　on　my　target。〃　The　squadron　mander　was　trying　to　examine　the　target　on　his　long…range　TV　camera。　When　he　spoke；　the　anguish　in　his　voice　was　manifest。　〃Warning；　warning；　this　is　not　a　Badger。　We've　been　shooting　at　Kelt　missiles！〃
〃Raid…2　is　seventy…three　aircraft；　bearing　two…one…seven；　range　one…three…zero　miles。　We　have　a　Big　Bulge　radar　tracking　the　formation；〃　said　the　CIC　talker。
Toland　cringed　as　the　new　contacts　were　plotted。　〃Admiral；　we've　been　had。〃
The　group　tactical　warfare　officer　was　pale　as　he　toggled　his　microphone。　〃Air　Warning　Red。　Weapons　free！　Threat　axis　is　two…one…seven。　All　ships　turn　as　necessary　to　unmask　batteries。〃
The　Tomcats　had　all　been　drawn　off；　leaving　the　formation　practically　naked。　The　only　armed　fighters　over　the　formation　were　Foch's　eight　Crusaders；　long　since　retired　from　the　American　inventory。　On　a　terse　mand　from　their　carrier；　they　went　to　afterburner　and　rocketed　southwest　toward　the　Backfires。　Too　late。
The　Bear　already　had　a　clear　picture　of　the　American　formations。　The　Russians　could　not　determine　ship　type；　but　they　could　tell　large　from　small；　and　identify　the　missile　cruiser　Ticonderoga　by　her　distinctive　radar　emissions。　The　carriers　would　be　close　to　her。　The　Bear　relayed　the　information　to　her　consorts。　A　minute　later；　the　seventy　Backfire　bombers　launched　their　hundred　forty　AS…6　Kingfish　missiles　and　turned　north　at　full　military　power。　The　Kingfish　was　nothing　like　the　Kelt。　Powered　by　a　liquid…fuel　rocket　engine；　it　accelerated　to　nine　hundred　knots　and　began　its　descent；　its　radar…homing　head　tracking　on　a　preprogrammed　target　area　ten　miles　wide。　Every　ship　in　the　center　of　the　formation　had　several　missiles　assigned。
〃Vampire；　Vampire！〃　the　CIC　talker　said　aboard　Ticonderoga。　〃We　have　numerous　ining　missiles。　Weapons　free。〃
The　group　antiair　warfare　officer　ordered　the　cruiser's　Aegis　weapons　system　into　full　automatic　mode。　Tico　had　been　built　with　this　exact　situation　in　mind。　Her　powerful　radar/puter　system　immediately　identified　the　ining　missiles　as　hostile　and　assigned　each　a　priority　of　destruction。　The　puter　was　pletely　on　its　own；　free　to　fire　on　its　electronic　will　at　anything　diagnosed　as　a　threat。　Numbers；　symbols；　and　vectors　paraded　across　the　master　tactical　display。　The　fore　and　aft　twin　missile　launchers　trained　out　at　the　first　targets　and　awaited　the　orders　to　fire。　Aegis　was　state…of…the…art；　the　best　SAM　system　yet　devised；　but　it　had　one　major　weakness：　Tico　carried　only　ninety…six　SM2　surface…to…air　missiles；　there　were　one　hundred　forty　ining　Kingfish。　The　puter　had　not　been　programmed　to　think　about　that。
Aboard　Nimitz；　Toland　could　feel　the　carrier　heeling　into　a　radical　turn；　her　engines　advanced　to　flank　speed；　driving　the　massive　warship　at　over　thirty…five　knots。　Her　nuclear…powered　escorts；　Virginia　and　California；　were　also　tracking　the　Kingfish；　their　own　missiles　trained　out　on　their　launchers。
The　Kingfish　were　at　eight　thousand　feet；　one　hundred　miles　out；　covering　a　mile　every　four　seconds。　Each　had　now　selected　a　target；　choosing　the　largest　within　their　fields　of　view。　Nimitz　was　the　nearest　large　ship；　with　her　missile…ship　escorts　to　her　north。
Tico　launched　her　first　quartet　of　missiles　as　the　targets　reached　a　range　of　ninety…nine　miles。　The　rockets　exploded　into　the　air；　leaving　a　trail　of　pale　gray　smoke。　They　had　barely　cleared　the　launch　rails　when　the　mounts　went　vertical　and　swiveled　to　receive　their　reloads。　The　load…and…fire　time　was　under　eight　seconds。　The　cruiser　would　average　one　missile　fired　every　two　seconds。　Just　over　three　minutes　later；　her　missile　magazines　were　empty。　The　cruiser　emerged　from　the　base　of　an　enormous　gray　arch　of　smoke。　Her　only　remaining　defenses　were　her　gun　systems。
The　SAMs　raced　in　at　their　targets　with　a　closing　speed　of　over　two　thousand　miles　per　hour；　directed　in　by　the　reflected　waves　of　the　ship's　own　fire…control　radars。　At　a　range　of　a　hundred　fifty　yards　from　their　targets；　the　warheads　detonated。　The　Aegis　system　did　quite　well。　Just　over　60　percent　of　the　targets　were　destroyed。　There　were　now　eighty…two　ining　missiles　targeted　on　a　total　of　eight　ships。
Other　missile…equipped　ships　joined　the　fray。　In　several　cases　two　or　three　missiles　were　sent　for　the　same　target；　usually　killing　it。　The　number　of　ining　〃vampires〃　dropped　to　seventy；　then　sixty；　but　the　number　was　not　dropping　quickly　enough。　The　identity　of　the　targets　was　now　known　to　everyone。　Powerful　active　jamming　equipment　came　on。　Ships　began　a　radical　series　of　maneuvers　like　some　stylized　dance；　with　scant　attention　paid　to　station…keeping。　Collision　at　sea　was　now　the　least　of　anyone's　worries。　When　the　Kingfish　got　to　within　twenty　miles；　every　ship　in　the　formation　began　to　fire　off　chaff　rockets；　which　filled　the　air　with　millions　of　aluminized　Mylar　fragments　that　fluttered　on　the　air；　creating　dozens　of　new　targets　for　the　missiles　to　select　from。　Some　of　the　Kingfish　lost　lock　with　their　targets　and　started　chasing　Mylar　ghosts。　Two　of　them　got　lost；　and　selected　new　targets　on　the　far　side　of　the　formation。
The　radar　picture　on　Nimitz　suddenly　was　obscured。　What　had　been　discrete　pips　designating　the　positions　of　ships　in　the　formation　became　shapeless　clouds。　Only　the　missiles　stayed　constant：　inverted　V…shapes；　with　line　vectors　to　designate　direction　and　speed。　The　last　wave　of　SAMs　killed　three　more。　The　vampire　count　was　down　to　forty…one。　Toland　counted　five　heading　for　Nimitz　Topside；　the　final　defensive　weapons　were　now　tracking　the　targets。　These　were　the　CIWS；　20mm　Gatling　guns；　radar…equipped　to　explode　ining　missiles　at　a　range　of　under　two　thousand　yards。　Designed　to　operate　in　a　fully　automatic　mode；　the　two　after　gun　mounts　on　the　carrier　angled　up　and　began　to　track　the　first　pair　of　ining　Kingfish。　The　portside　mount　fired　first；　the　six…barrel　cannon　making　a　sound　like　that　of　an　enormous　zipper。　Its　radar　system　tracked　the　target；　and　tracked　the　outgoing　slugs；　adjusting　fire　to　make　the　two　meet。
The　leading　Kingfish　exploded　eight　hundred　yards　from　Nimitz's　port　quarter。　The　thousand　kilograms　of　high　explosive　rocked　the　ship。　Toland　felt　it；　wondering　if　the　ship　had　been　hit。　Around　him；　the　CIC　crewmen　were　concentrating　frantically　on　their　jobs。　One　target　track　vanished　from　the　screen。　Four　left。
The　next　Kingfish　approached　the　carrier's　bow　and　was　blasted　out　of　the　sky　by　the　forward　CIWS；　too　close　aboard。　Fragments　ripped　across　the　carrier's　deck；　killing　a　dozen　exposed　crewmen。
Number　three　was　decoyed　by　a　chaff　cloud　and　ran　straight　into　the　sea　half　a　mile　behind　the　carrier。　The　warhead　caused　the　carrier　to　vibrate　and　raised　a　column　of　water　a　thousand　feet　into　the　air。
The　fourth　and　fifth　missiles　came　in　from　aft；　not　a　hundred　yards　apart。　The　after　gun　mount　tracked　on　both；　but　couldn't　decide　which　to　engage　first。　It　went　into　Reset　mode　and　petulantly　didn't　engage