tc.redstormrising-第50部分

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　got　solid　clouds　at　about　two　thousand　feet。　No　more　visual　sightings。〃
〃You　say　heading　towards　Keflavik？〃
〃That's　affirm。　The　bomber　appeared　to　be　westbound　and　descending。〃
〃Any　chance　you　can　walk　back　to　Keflavik　to　see　what's　happening　there？〃
Edwards　didn't　speak　for　a　second。　Couldn't　the　bastard　read　a　map？　That　meant　walking　thirty　miles　over　bare　ground。
〃Negative。　Say　again；　negative；　no　chance。　Over。〃
〃Understood；　Beagle。　Sorry　about　that。　I　had　orders　to　ask。　Get　back　to　us　when　you　have　a　better　count。　You're　doing　good；　guys。　Hang　in　there。　Out。〃
〃They　asked　if　we　wanted　to　walk　over　to　Keflavik；〃　Edwards　announced　as　he　took　off　his　headset。　〃I　said　no。〃
〃Real　good；　sir；〃　Smith　observed。　At　least　Air　Force　officers　weren't　total　idiots。

KEFLAVIK；　ICELAND
The　first　MiG…29　Fulcrum　landed　at　Keflavik　a　minute　later。　It　taxied　behind　a　base　jeep　and　stopped　close　to　the　tower。　The　major　in　mand　of　the　base　was　there　to　meet　it。
〃Wele　to　Keflavik！〃
〃Excellent。　Find　me　a　lavatory；〃　the　colonel　replied。
The　major　motioned　him　to　his　own　jeep…the　Americans　had　left　seventy　jeeps　behind；　plus　over　three　hundred　private　automobiles…and　drove　toward　the　tower。　The　American　radios　had　been　destroyed；　but　the　plumbing　was　made　of　sterner　stuff。
〃How　many？〃
〃Six；〃　the　colonel　answered。　〃A　Goddamned　Norwegian　F…16　jumped　us　off　Hammerfest　and　got　one　before　we　knew　he　was　there。　Another　aborted　with　engine　trouble；　and　a　third　had　to　land　at　Akureyri。　Do　we　have　men　there？〃
〃Not　yet。　We　have　only　one　helicopter。　More　should　be　ing　in　today。〃　They　pulled　to　the　door。　〃Inside；　second　door　on　the　right。〃
〃Thank　you；　rade　Major！〃　The　colonel　was　back　in　three　minutes。　〃The　unglamorous　side　of　flying　fighter　aircraft。　Somehow　we　never　warn　our　cadets　about　this。〃
〃Here；　coffee。　The　previous　occupants　were　most　kind　to　us。〃　The　major　unscrewed　an　American　thermos。　The　colonel　took　the　cup；　savoring　the　flavor　as　though　it　were　fine　brandy　while　he　watched　his　fighters　land。　〃We　have　your　missiles　all　ready　for　you；　and　we　can　refuel　every　aircraft　from　our　trucks。　How　soon　can　you　fly　again？〃
〃I'd　prefer　that　my　men　get　at　least　two　hours　to　rest　and　eat。　And　I　want　those　aircraft　dispersed　after　they're　fueled。　Have　you　been　hit　yet？〃
〃Only　two　reconnaissance　aircraft；　and　we　killed　one。　If　we're　lucky…〃
〃Luck　is　for　fools。　The　American　will　hit　us　today。　I　would。〃

USS　NIMITZ
〃We　have　a　new　intel　source　on　Iceland；　code　name　Beagle；〃　Toland　reported。　They　were　in　the　carrier's　bat　Information　Center　now。　〃He　counted　over　eighty　transport　flights　into　Reykjavik　last　night；　at　least　six　fighters　with　them。　That's　enough　airlift　capacity　for　a　whole　airborne　division　and　then　some。　Doghouse　in　Scotland　says　that　they　have　an　unconfirmed　report　of　Soviet　fighters　landing　now。〃
〃Have　to　be　a　long…range　one。　Foxhound；　maybe　a　Fulcrum；〃　CAG　said。　〃If　they　have　them　to　spare。　Well；　we　weren't　planning　to　visit　the　place　just　yet。　We　might　have　a　problem　with　them　trying　raid…escort；　though。〃
〃Any　word　on　E…3　support　from　the　U。K。〃　Baker　asked　Svenson。
〃Looks　like　none。〃
〃Toland；　when　do　you　expect　our　friends　to　arrive？〃
〃The　RORSAT　passes　overhead　in　twenty　minutes。　They'll　probably　want　that　data　before　they　take　off。　They　could　take　off　at　any　time　after　that；　Admiral。　If　the　Backfires　tank　up　partway　down　and　proceed　at　max　power；　two　hours。　That's　worst　case。　More　likely　four　to　five　hours。〃
〃CAG？〃
The　air　group　mander　looked　tense。　〃Each　carrier　has　a　Hummer　radar　bird　up；　a　pair　of　F…14　Tomcats　with　each。　Two　more　Tomcats　on　the　catapults；　ready　to　go　at　five　minutes'　notice；　another　Hummer　and　a　tanker。　The　rest　of　the　fighters　are　at　plus…fifteen　on　the　roof；　loaded　and　fueled。　The　flight　crews　are　briefed。　One　Prowler　over　the　formation；　the　rest　ready　to　go　at　fifteen。　The　A…7s　have　buddy　stores　rigged。　We're　ready。　Foch　has　her　Crusaders　at　plus…fifteen。　Good　birds；　but　short　legs。　When　the　time　es　we'll　use　them　for　overhead　coverage。〃

KIROVSK；　R。S。F。S。R。
The　Radar　Ocean　Reconnaissance　Satellite；　called　a　RORSAT；　passed　over　the　formation　at　0310。　Its　radar　transmitter　noted　the　formation　and　its　cameras　tracked　in　on　their　wakes。　Five　minutes　later；　the　data　was　in　Moscow。　Fifteen　minutes　after　that；　flight　crews　were　given　their　final　brief　at　four　military　air　bases　grouped　around　the　city　of　Kirovsk　on　the　Kola　Peninsula。　The　crews　were　quiet；　no　less　tense　than　their　American　targets。　Both　sides　mulled　over　the　same　thoughts。　This　was　the　exercise　both　sides　had　practiced　for　over　fifteen　years。　Millions　of　hours　of　planning；　studies　and　simulations　were　about　to　be　put　to　the　test。
The　Badgers　lifted　off　first；　pushed　by　their　twin　Mikulin　engines。　Each　takeoff　was　an　effort。　The　bombers　were　so　heavily　loaded　that　the　tower　controllers　reached　out　with　their　minds　to　wish　every　aircraft　into　the　still　morning　air。　Once　off　the　ground　they　headed　north；　forming　up　into　loose　regimental　formations　just　north　of　Murmansk　before　heading　west　and　skirting　past　the　North　Cape；　before　their　slow　left　turns　took　them　toward　the　North　Atlantic。
Twenty　miles　off　the　North　Russian　coast；　USS　Narwhal　hovered　beneath　the　surface　of　a　slate…gray　sea。　The　quietest　submarine　in　the　U。S。　fleet；　she　was　a　specialized　intelligence…gathering　platform　that　spent　more　time　on　the　Soviet　coast　than　did　some　ships　in　the　Russian　Navy　Her　three　thin　ESM　antennae　were　raised；　as　was　a　million…dollar　search　periscope。　Technicians　aboard　listened　in　on　low…power　radio　conversations　between　aircraft　as　they　formed　up。　Three　uniformed　intelligence　specialists　and　a　civilian　from　the　National　Security　Agency　evaluated　the　strength　of　the　raid　and　decided　that　it　was　large　enough　to　risk　a　warning　broadcast。　An　additional　mast　was　raised　and　aimed　at　a　munications　satellite　twenty…four　thousand　miles　away。　The　burst　transmission　lasted　less　than　a　fifteenth　of　a　second。

USS　NIMITZ
The　message　was　automatically　relayed　to　four　separate　munications　stations；　and　within　thirty　seconds　was　at　SACLANT　headquarters。　Five　minutes　after　that；　Toland　had　the　yellow　message　form　in　his　hand。　He　walked　immediately　to　Admiral　Baker；　and　handed　the　message　over：　0418Z　REALTIME　SENDS　WARNING　AIR　RAID　TAKE　OFF　0400　HEADING　WEST　FROM　KOLA　ESTIMATE　FIVE　REGIMENT　PLUS。
Baker　checked　his　watch。　〃Fast　work。　CAG？〃
The　air　group　mander　looked　at　the　form　and　walked　to　a　phone。　〃Shoot　off　the　plus…fives；　recall　the　patrol　aircraft　when　they　get　to　station；　and　set　up　two　more　Tomcats　and　a　Hummer　on　plus…five。　I　want　the　returning　aircraft　turned　around　immediately。　Reserve　one　catapult　for　tankers。〃　He　came　back。　〃With　your　permission；　sir；　I　propose　to　put　another　pair　of　F…14s　and　another　Hummer　up　in　an　hour；　and　put　all　the　fighters　on　plus…five。　At　0600；　the　rest　of　the　fighters　go　up；　with　tankers　in　support。　We'll　meet　them　with　everything　we　have　about　two　hundred　miles　out　and　kick　their　ass。〃
〃Very　well。　ments？〃
Svenson　looked　pensively　at　the　master　plot。　Circles　were　already　being　drawn　for　the　farthest　possible　advance　of　the　Soviet　bombers。
〃The　Brits　get　the　same　warning？〃
〃Yes；　sir；〃　Toland　answered。　〃Norwegians；　too。　With　luck；　one　or　the　other　might　make　contact　with　the　raid　and　nibble　at　it　some；　maybe　put　a　trailer　with　them。〃
〃Nice　idea；　but　don't　count　on　it。　If　I　was　running　the　attack；　I'd　e　way　west　and　turn　south　right　over　Iceland。〃　Svenson　looked　back　at　the　plot。　〃You　think　Realtime　would　have　broadcast　a　warning　for　BearDs？〃
〃My　information；　sir；　is　that　they　are　allowed　to　broadcast　only　for　three　regiments　or　more。　Ten　or　twenty　Bears　wouldn't　be　enough。　They　might　not　even　notice。〃
〃So　right　now　we　probably　have　a　herd　of　Bears　out　there；　not　emitting　anything；　just　flying　around　listening　for　our　radar　signals。〃
Toland　nodded　agreement。　The　battle　group　was　a　circle　of　ships　with　a　radius　of　thirty　miles；　the　carriers　and　troop　ships　in　the　center　surrounded　by　nine　missile…armed　escorts　and　six　more　specialized　antisubmarine　ships。　None　of　the　ships　had　a　radar　transmitter　working。　Instead　they　got　all　their　electronic　information　from　the　two　circling　E…2C　air　surveillance　aircraft；　known　colloquially　as　Hummers；　whose　radars　swept　a　circle　over　four　hundred　miles　across。
The　drama　being　played　out　was　more　plex　than　the　most　intricate　game。　More　than　a　dozen　variable　factors　could　interact；　with　their　permutations　running　into　the　thousands。　Radar　detection　range　depended　on　altitude　and　consequent　distance　to　the　horizon　that　neither　eyes　nor　radar　can　see　past。　An　aircraft　could　avoid；　or　at　least　delay；　detection　by　skimming　the　waves。　But　this　carried　severe　penalties　in　fuel　consumption　and　range。
They　bad　to　locate　the　battle　group　without　being　detected　by　it　first。　The　Russians　knew　where　the　carrier　group　was；　but　it　would　move　in　the　four　hours　required　for　the　bombers　to　get　there。　Their　missiles　needed　precise　information　if　they　were　to　home　in　on　the　raid's　primary　target；　the　two　American　and　one　French　carrier；　or　the　mission　was　a　wasted　effort。
Putting　the　group's　fighters　on　station　to　intercept　the　ining　raid　depended　on　expert　prognostication　of　its　direction　and　speed。　Their　job：　to　locate　and　engage　the　bombers　before　they　could　find　the　carriers。
For　both　sides；　the　fundamental　choice　was　whether　or　not　to　radiate；　to　use　their　radar　transmitters。　Either　choice　carried　benefits　and　dangers；　and　there　was　no　〃best〃　solution　to　the　problem。　Nearly　every　American　ship　carried　powerful　air…search　radars　that　could　locate　the　raid　two　hundred　or　more　miles　away。　But　those　radar　signals　could　be　detected　at　an　even　greater　range；　generating　a　return　signal；　that　would　potentially　allow　the　Soviets　to　circle　the　formation；　pinpoint　it；　then　converge　in　from　all　points　of　the　pass。
The　game　was　hide　and　seek；　played　over　a　million　square　miles　of　ocean。　The　losers　died。

NORTH　ATLANTIC
The　Soviet　Bear…D　reconnaissance　bombers　were　passing　south　of　Iceland。　There　were　ten　of　them；　covering　a　front　of　a　thousand　miles。　The　monstrous　propeller…driven　aircraft　were　packed　full　of　electronics　gear　and　crewed　by　men　with　years　of　training　and　experience　in　locating　the　America