Sea of Shadows

Every thirty seconds, the CDRT updated the range and bearing to the contact. After only two updates, the underwater battery fire control computer had a rough estimate of the submarine’s course and speed. Each set of bearing updates refined the solution. The search was about to become the chase.

* * *

Captain Whiley’s voice broke over the Navy Red radio circuit. “All units, this is SAU Commander. I am executing Pouncer Maneuver — now, now, NOW!”

Cooper watched on the CDRT. Sure enough, the symbol for Antietam was increasing speed and heading toward the southern flank of the formation. The symbol representing Antietam’s helo, Samurai Seven-Nine, cut around the northern end of the formation — to approach the sub from an unexpected angle. According to the tactical plan, the helo’s altitude would be above 2,000 feet; high enough so the submarine’s sonar wouldn’t be able to detect the sound of his rotors.

The plan was going perfectly.

Whiley’s voice came over Navy Red right on schedule. “All units, this is SAU Commander. My Anvil is away — now, now, NOW!”

* * *

Anvil (USS Antietam):

A small armored hatch snapped open on the cruiser’s forward missile deck, exposing the weatherproof membrane that covered the upper end of a vertical launch missile cell. A millisecond later, the membrane was shattered as Antietam’s Vertical Launch Anti-Submarine Rocket (ASROC), code-name Anvil, blasted out of its missile cell and roared into the night sky on a silvery-orange pillar of fire.

Although it came out of the launcher like any other missile, the ASROC’s flight profile was like no missile in the world. Instead of diving toward the surface of the ocean to begin a sea-skimming run, or turning toward its target and accelerating to an intercept point, the ASROC heeled itself over at a forty-five — degree angle and began boosting toward the top of a pre-programmed ballistic arc.

Ten thousand feet above the ocean, it hit the top of that arc, and any passing resemblance it had to an ordinary missile vanished. An electronic module inside the weapon sent trigger pulses to a pair of explosive blocks in the airframe. The explosives detonated instantly, shattering the steel restraining bands that held the missile together, and splitting the fiberglass airframe into two pieces. The missile literally came apart in midair, and from the expanding cloud of discarded debris fell the ASROC’s payload: a specially configured Mark-54 torpedo.

The torpedo dropped toward the sea like a stone, completing the downward half of the ballistic arc as it hurtled toward its rendezvous with the waves. As the weapon fell past two thousand feet, a parachute deployed, slowing its rate of descent just enough to prevent damage when it hit the water.

Falling somewhat slower now, the weapon slammed into the ocean with enough force to shatter its nose cone along a series of pre-stressed structural points — absorbing a little more of the shock and protecting the delicate sonar transducer in the nose of the weapon.

As it sank through the ocean, seawater rushed in through small vents, completing the electrical circuit for the weapon’s salt-water batteries. The batteries transmitted power to the weapon’s computer, and the computer (in turn) sent signals to other systems, lighting off the sonar sensors, pre-arming the warhead, and taking control of the fins and stabilizers.

All of this happened very quickly. Less than six seconds after its launch from USS Antietam, the torpedo’s turbine engine spun to life. The weapon calculated its depth and position, and then accelerated toward the start point for its search pattern.

* * *

USS Towers:

“USWE — Sonar, we have weapon startup. It’s Antietam’s ASROC, sir, and it looks like they got it right in the pocket.”

A friendly-weapon symbol appeared in blue on the CDRT. Ensign Cooper kissed the tip of his finger and touched it to the glass screen directly over the symbol. “Come on, baby, acquire … acquire …”

A half-minute later, the Sonar Supervisor’s voice came over the net.

“USWE — Sonar, Antietam’s weapon has acquired the target. Looks like it’s starting its attack run now.”

Ensign Cooper clapped his hands. “All right!”

Chief McPherson stared at the CDRT without saying anything.

Captain Bowie watched her for a few seconds. “What is it, Chief?”

The chief shook her head. “Something’s not right here, Captain.”

Ensign Cooper looked at her. “What?”

“The sub isn’t doing anything,” Chief McPherson said. “He’s got a torpedo screaming up his ass, and he’s not doing anything about it. No evasion, no flank speed, no nothing …”

“It’s a decoy!” Ensign Cooper shouted. He nearly broke a finger jabbing the button for Navy Red. “SAU Commander— Towers, it’s a decoy! I say again, your target is a mobile decoy! Recommend you take immediate evasive action!”

From across CIC, a Radar Operator yelled, “TAO, I’ve got two, no … make that three missile pop-ups! Bearing two-two-zero!”

The TAO yelled, “Use the goddamned net!” Into his own comm-set mike he half-shouted, “All Stations — TAO, we have in-bound Vipers! I say again, we have missiles in-bound! This is not a drill! Weapons Control, shift to Aegis ready-auto. Set CIWS to auto-engage. Break. EW, I need your best course for minimized radar cross-section, and stand by to launch chaff!”

The Electronics Warfare Technician’s response came a half-second later. “TAO — EW, standing by on chaff. I have active H-band seekers on all three missiles. Looks like Exocet SM-39s, ‘November Variants.’ EW recommends we avoid jamming, sir. I say again, recommend we do not jam. The November birds have home-on-jam capability.”

The captain sprinted for his chair at the center of CIC, between the giant Aegis display screens. Three missile symbols were rapidly closing on the ships. It was still too early to determine which ships had been targeted. He pulled a comm-set over his head and keyed up. “Give me a plot on the pop-up point for those missiles.”

A hostile-submarine symbol appeared on the screen in flashing red.

“What’s the range? Can we hit that bastard with ASROC?”

Ensign Cooper keyed up. “Captain — USWE. Range to missiles’ point of origin is fifty-five thousand yards, sir. No way we can hit it with ASROC.”

“Damn it!” the captain shouted. “TAO, what’s the estimated time-on-top? When are those bastards going to hit us?”

Before the TAO could answer, the captain punched the button to jumper his comm-set into the 1-MC General Announcing Circuit. When he keyed the mike, his voice came out of speakers all over the ship. “This is the Captain speaking. We have three in-bound Vipers off the port bow. All hands rig for impact. This is not a drill.”

The ship heeled over as the bridge began to maneuver to minimize the ship’s radar cross-section.

The TAO said, “Vipers are not targeted for Towers, Captain. All three are locked on Antietam. Estimated time-on-top is ninety seconds.”

As the words left his lips, a second set of hostile-missile symbols popped up on the screen. Three more Exocet missiles — all bound for Antietam.

The captain keyed his comm-set. “Weapons Control, this is the Captain. Can we get some birds up there to help Antietam out?”

The response was a few seconds in coming. “Captain — Weapons Control. Negative, sir. Antietam is fouling our range. As low as those Vipers are to the water, we’d have to shoot through Antietam to get to them.”

The Air Supervisor spoke up. “Antietam is firing, sir. Two salvos of surface-to-air missiles, looks like six and six.”

The captain nodded.

Antietam was following shoot-shoot-look-shoot-shoot