tc.redstormrising-第52部分

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hey　needed　better　if　they　were　to　locate　and　engage　the　carriers。　These　crews　were　not　relieved；　but　excited。　Now　came　the　challenging　part。　The　battle　plan　had　been　formulated　a　year　before　and　practiced…over　land　exclusively…five　times。　Four　times　it　had　worked。
Aboard　eighty　Badger　bombers；　pilots　checked　their　watches；　counting　off　the　seconds　to　0615　Zulu。
〃Launch！〃
The　lead　Badger　launched　eight　seconds　early。　First　one；　then　the　second；　aircraft…shaped　Kelt　dropped　free　of　its　pylon；　falling　several　hundred　feet　before　their　turbojet　engines　ran　up　to　full　power。　Running　on　autopilot；　the　Kelts　climbed　back　to　thirty　thousand　feet　and　cruised　on　south　at　six　hundred　knots　indicated　air　speed。　The　bomber　crews　watched　their　birds　proceed　for　a　minute　or　two；　then　each　of　the　bombers　turned　slowly　and　gracefully　for　home；　their　mission　done。　Six　Badger…J　stand…off　jamming　aircraft　continued　south。　They　would　stay　sixty　kilometers　behind　the　Kelts。　Their　crews　were　nervous　but　confident。　It　would　not　be　easy　for　American　radar　to　bum　through　their　powerful　jammers；　and　in　any　case；　the　Americans　would　soon　have　many　targets　to　concern　them。
The　Kelts　continued　on；　straight　and　level。　They　carried　their　own　electronic　equipment；　which　would　be　triggered　automatically　by　sensors　in　their　tail　fins。　When　they　entered　the　theoretical　arc　of　the　Hawkeyes'　radar　range；　transponders　in　their　noses　clicked　on。

USS　NIMITZ
〃Radar　contacts！　Designate　Raid…1；　bearing　three…four…niner；　range　four…six…zero　miles。　Numerous　contacts；　count　one…four…zero　contacts；　course　one…seven…five；　speed　six　hundred　knots。〃
The　master　tactical　scope　plotted　the　contacts　electronically；　and　a　pair　of　plexiglass　plates　showed　another　visual　display。
〃So；　here　they　e；〃　Baker　said　quietly。　〃Right　on　time。　ments？〃
〃I…〃　Toland　didn't　get　a　chance。
The　puter　display　went　white。
〃Clipper　Base；　this　is　Hawk…Three。　We're　getting　some　jamming；〃　reported　the　senior　airborne　control　officer。　〃We　plot　six；　possibly　seven　jammers；　bearing　three…four…zero　to　zero…three…zero。　Pretty　powerful　stuff。　Estimate　we　have　stand…off　jammers；　but　no　escort　jammers。　Contacts　are　lost　for　the　present。　Estimate　burn…through　in　ten　minutes。　Request　weapons　free；　and　release　to　vector　intercepts。〃
Baker　looked　over　to　his　air　operations　officer。　〃Let's　get　things　started。〃
Air/Ops　nodded　and　picked　up　a　microphone。　〃Hawk…Three；　this　is　Clipper　Base。　Weapons　free。　I　say　again；　weapons　are　free。　Release　authority　is　granted。　Splash　me　some　bombers。　Out。〃
Svenson　frowned　at　the　display。　〃Admiral；　we're　ing　about　to　clear　decks。　Remend　the　formation　stays　together　now。〃　He　got　a　nod。　〃Clipper　Fleet；　this　is　Clipper　Base；　e　left　to　two…seven…zero。　Launch　all　remaining　aircraft。　Execute。〃
On　the　single　mand；　the　formation　made　a　hundred…eighty…degree　left　turn。　Those　ships　that　did　not　as　yet　have　missiles　on　their　launchers　rectified　this。　Fire…control　radars　were　trained　north；　but　kept　in　standby　mode。　Thirty　different　captains　waited　for　the　word　to　activate。

NORTH　ATLANTIC
She　was　pissed　off。　Sure；　she　thought；　I'm　good　enough　to　fly。　I'm　good　enough　to　be　an　instructor　pilot　for　the　Eagle。　Engineering　test　pilot；　assistant　project　officer　for　the　ASAT　program…I'm　good　enough　to　get　an　invite　to　Houston；　even…but　will　they　let　me　fly　bat？　No；　there's　a　war　going　on　and　I'm　nothing　but　a　Goddamned　ferry　pilot！
〃Shit。〃　Her　name　was　Amy　Nakamura。　She　was　a　major；　United　States　Air　Force；　with　three　thousand　hours　of　jet　time；　two…thirds　of　it　in　F…15s。　Short　and　stocky　like　many　fighter　pilots；　only　her　father　had　ever　called　her　beautiful。　He　also　called　her　Bunny。　When　her　fellow　pilots　found　that　one　out；　they　shortened　it　to　Buns。　She　and　three　men　were　ferrying　four　brand…new　Eagle　fighters　to　Germany　where　others…men！…would　get　to　use　them　properly。　They　each　carried　fast…pack　conformal　fuel　tanks　to　make　the　trip　in　one　long　hop；　and　for　self…defense　a　single　Sidewinder　missile；　plus　their　usual　load　of　20mm　cannon　shells。　The　Russians　let　women　fly　bat　in　World　War　II！　she　thought。　A　couple　even　made　ace！
〃Hey；　Buns；　check　your　three　o'clock！〃　called　her　wingman。
Nakamura　had　phenomenal　eyesight；　but　she　could　scarcely　believe　it。　〃Tell　me　what　you　see；　Butch。〃
〃Badgers　。。。　？〃
〃Fuckin'　Tu…16　Badgers…tallyho！　Where's　the　Navy　supposed　to　be？〃
〃Close。　Try　and　raise　'em；　Buns！〃
〃Navy　task　force；　Navy　task　force；　this　is　Air　Force　ferry　flight　Golf…Four…Niner。　We　are　eastbound　with　four　Foxtrot…One…Fives。　We　have　a　visual　on　a　Russian　bomber　formation　position…shit；　do　you　read；　over？〃
〃Who　the　hell　is　that？〃　a　Hawkeye　crewman　asked　aloud。
The　munications　technician　answered；　〃Golf…Four…Niner；　we　need　authentication。　November　Four　Whiskey。〃　This　could　be　a　Russian　playing　radio　games
Major　Nakamura　swore　to　herself　as　she　ran　her　finger　down　the　list　of　munication　codes。　There！　〃Alpha　Six　Hotel。〃
〃Golf…Four…Niner；　this　is　Navy　Hawk…One；　say　your　position。　Warning；　we　are　calling　in　the　clans　on　those　Badgers。　You'd　better　get　clear；　acknowledge。〃
〃Like　hell；　Navy；　I　got　visual　on　three…plus　Badgers　northbound；　position　forty…nine　north；　thirty…three　east。〃

〃Northbound？〃　the　intercept　officer　said。　〃Golf；　this　is　Hawk…One。　Confirm　your　visual。　Say　again　your　visual。〃
〃Hawk…One；　this　is　Golf；　I　now　have　a　dozen　Badger；　say　again　Tango…Uniform…One…Six　bombers　visual；　south　of　my　position；　heading　towards　me　and　closing　fast。　We　are　engaging。　Out。〃
〃Nothing　on　radar；　boss；〃　the　radar　operator　said。　〃That's　way　the　hell　north　of　here。〃
〃Then　what　the　hell　is　he　talking　about？〃
Major　Amelia　〃Buns〃　Nakamura　reached　down　without　looking　to　toggle　up　her　missile　and　head…up　display　to　tactical。　Then　she　flipped　the　switch　for　her　air…intercept　radar。　Her　IFF　system　interrogated　the　target　as　a　possible　friendly　and　came　up　blank。　That　was　enough。
〃Frank；　take　your　element　east。　Butch；　follow　me。　Everybody　watch　your　fuel　states。　Charge！〃
The　Badger　pilots　were　a　little　too　relaxed；　now　that　the　most　dangerous　part　of　their　mission　was　behind　them。　They　didn't　spot　the　four　American　fighters　until　they　were　less　than　a　mile　away；　their　robin's…egg…blue　paint　blending　them　in　perfectly　with　the　clear　morning　sky。
Buns　selected　her　cannon　for　the　first　pass　and　triggered　two　hundred　rounds　into　the　cockpit　of　a　Badger。　The　twin…engine　bomber　went　instantly　out　of　control　and　rolled　over　like　a　dead　whale。　One。　The　major　howled　with　delight；　pulled　the　Eagle　up　into　a　five…g　loop；　then　over　to　dive　on　the　next　target。　The　Soviets　were　alerted　now；　and　the　second　Badger　attempted　to　dive　away。　It　had　not　the　slightest　chance。　Nakamura　fired　her　Sidewinder　from　a　range　of　less　than　a　mile　and　watched　the　missile　trace　all　the　way　into　the　Badger's　left…side　engine；　and　blast　the　wing　right　off　the　airplane。　Two。　Another　Badger　was　three　miles　ahead。　Patience；　she　told　herself。　You　have　a　big　speed　advantage。　She　nearly　forgot　that　the　Russian　bomber　had　tail　guns。　A　Soviet　sergeant　reminded　her　of　it；　missing；　but　scaring　the　hell　out　of　her。　The　Eagle　jerked　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