Tiger's Claw: A Novel

Liberation Army

HAI JUN ZHONG JIANG (VICE ADMIRAL) ZHEN PENG, commander, South Sea Fleet, People’s Liberation Army Navy, Zhanjiang

HAI JUN SHAO JIANG (REAR ADMIRAL) HU TAN-SUN, commander, Second Carrier Battle Group (aircraft carrier Zheng He), People’s Liberation Army Navy, Juidongshan

HAI JUN DA XIAO (LOWER ADMIRAL) CHEN BOLIN, captain of the Chinese aircraft carrier Zhenyuan

HAI JUN DA XIAO (LOWER ADMIRAL) WENG LI-YEH, captain, Chinese aircraft carrier Zheng He

HAI JUN SHANG XIAO (CAPTAIN) ZHANG PEIYAN, commander of flight operations, carrier Zhenyuan

HAI JUN ZHONG XIAO (COMMANDER) HUA JI, JN-20 squadron commander, carrier Zheng He

HAI JUN SHAO XIAO (LIEUTENANT COMMANDER) WU DEK SU, JN-15 fighter pilot

KONG JUN SHANG JIANG (AIR FORCE COLONEL GENERAL) ZENG SU, chief of staff, People’s Liberation Army Air Forces

KONG JUN ZHONG JIANG (AIR FORCE LIEUTENANT GENERAL) CHEN LI, commander, First Strategic Strike Division (Xian H-6)

SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM

TRAN PHUONG, prime minister

Thuong ta (CAPTAIN) DANG VAN CHIEN, captain of the Gepard-class frigate Ca map (Shark)

REPUBLIC OF CHINA (TAIWAN)

WU ANASTASIA, president

Zhong jiang (VICE ADMIRAL) WU JIN-PING, commander, First Naval District South, Kaohsiung

Shangxiao (CAPTAIN) YAO MEI-YUEH, captain of the Type 800 attack submarine Fuchou zhe (Avenger)

Zun Khong (COMMANDER) CHEIN SI-YAO, executive officer, attack submarine Avenger

COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA

MARK RUDDOCK, prime minister

REPUBLIC OF INDONESIA

JUSUF SALEH, president

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES

PATRICIA CRUZ, president

AUTHOR’S NOTES AND CHINESE WORDS

South Sea = South China Sea

Nansha Dao = Spratly Islands

Xisha Dao = Paracel Islands

Wusheng Leiting— = Silent Thunder

Hu Zhao— = Tiger’s Claw

Chinese aviation assault carrier Tongyi = Reunification

CJ-20 Changjian cruise missile = Long Sword

Shenyang J-20 Tiaozhan zhe— = Challenger

JH-37 Fei Bao = Flying Leopard

JH-37 call sign Qianfeng = striker

JN-15 call sign Ying = hawk

J-20 call sign Laoying = eagle

Xiansheng = sir

Yeying = nightingale

Baohuzhe— = Protector

Qiyu = sailfish

Fuchou zhe = Avenger

Jia = home

Yuying = osprey

BLU-89E—Kepa debo = Terrible Wave

Long Dehuxi = Dragon’s Breath

ji huo = activate

Neizai de diren— = Enemy Within

WEAPONS AND ACRONYMS

A&P—Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic

ABM—Anti Ballistic Missile

AC—Aircraft Commander

Aegis—advanced shipborne radar system

AGM-86D—Maverick TV-guided missile

AGM-88 HARM—High-speed Anti-Radiation Missile, anti-radar weapon

ALQ-293 Self-Protection Electronically Agile Reaction (SPEAR)—advanced jamming and netrusion system

AMRAAM—Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile, radar guided

APR-3E—Chinese air-dropped rocket-powered torpedo

ARCP—Air Refueling Control Point, the rendezvous point for receivers and tankers

AST—Aviation Survival Technician, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer

ASW—Anti Submarine Warfare

ATP—Airline Transport Rating

AWACS—Airborne Warning and Control System

Beak—nickname for the B-2A Spirit stealth bomber

bold-print items—items in a checklist that must be committed to memory

Bone—nickname for the B-1B Lancer bomber (B-One)

BUFF—nickname for the B-52 bomber (Big Ugly Fat F**ker)

C-182—Cessna 182 light single-engine airplane

CAP—Civil Air Patrol

CFI—Certified Flight Instructor

CFI-I—Certified Flight Instructor-Instruments