tc.redstormrising-第55部分

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The　tower　officer　lifted　the　field　phone　to　give　more　exact　warning　to　the　fighters；　then　called　up　the　missile　battery　mander：　〃Ining　air　raid！〃
Men　leaped　into　action　all　across　the　air　base。　The　fighter　ground　crews　hit　the　built…in　self…starters；　turning　the　jet　engines　even　as　the　pilots　climbed　into　the　cockpits。　The　SAM　battery　turned　on　its　search　and　fire…control　systems　while　the　launch　vehicles　slewed　their　missiles　into　firing　position。
Just　under　the　radar　horizon；　eighteen　B…52　bombers　had　just　lit　off　their　ECM　jamming　systems。　They　were　deployed　in　six　groups　of　three　each。　The　first　skimmed　over　the　top　of　Mt。　Snaefells；　sixty　miles　north　of　Keflavik；　and　the　rest　came　from　all　around　the　west　side　of　the　pass；　converging　on　the　target　behind　a　wall　of　electronic　noise　provided　by　their　own　systems　and　the　supporting　EF…111　Raven　jammer。
The　Russian　fighter　just　lifting　off　climbed　to　altitude；　the　pilot　keeping　his　radar　off　as　he　scanned　the　sky　visually；　waiting　for　intercept　information　from　the　ground…based　radar。　His　rades　were　even　now　taxiing　into　the　open；　racing　straight　down　the　runway　and　into　the　sky。　The　aircraft　that　had　just　landed　taxied　to　a　fuel　bowser；　its　pilot　gesturing　and　cursing　at　the　ground　crewmen　who　were　struggling　to　fuel　his　fighter。　In　their　haste；　they　spilled　ten　gallons　of　fuel　over　the　wing。　Amazingly；　it　did　not　ignite；　and　a　dozen　men　ran　in　with　CO；　extinguishers　to　prevent　an　explosion　as　the　fighter　drank　in　a　full　load　of　fuel。

HILL　152；　ICELAND
Edwards's　head　jerked　up　at　the　noise；　the　distinctive　roar　of　jet　fighters。　He　saw　a　dark　trail　of　smoke　approaching　in　from　the　east；　and　the　silhouettes　passed　within　a　mile。　The　shapes　were　heavy　with　ordnance；　the　up…angled　wingtips　making　identification　easy。
〃F…4s！〃　he　hooted。　〃They're　our　guys！〃
They　were　Phantom　jets　of　the　New　York　Air　National　Guard；　configured　as　Wild　Weasel　SAM…killers。　While　Russian　attention　was　on　the　converging　bomber　raid；　they　skimmed　over　hilltops　and　down　valleys；　using　the　crenelated　landscape　to　mask　their　low…level　approach。　The　back…seat　crewman　in　each　aircraft　counted　the　missile　radars；　selecting　the　most　dangerous　targets。　When　they　got　to　within　ten　miles　of　Keflavik；　they　popped　up　high　and　fired　a　salvo　of　Standard…ARM　antiradar　missiles。
The　Russians　were　caught　by　surprise。　Laboring　to　direct　missile　fire　at　the　bombers；　they　didn't　expect　a　two…part　raid。　The　ining　missiles　were　not　detected。　Three　of　the　ARMs　found　targets；　killing　two　search　radars　and　a　missile…launch　vehicle。　One　launch　mander　turned　his　vehicle　around　and　trained　manually　on　the　new　threat。　The　Phantoms　jammed　his　fire…control　radar；　leaving　behind　a　series　of　chaff　clouds　as　they　came　in　at　thirty…foot　height。　As　each　pilot　raced　to　the　target　area　assigned　to　him；　he　conducted　a　hasty　visual　search。　One　saw　an　undamaged　SAM　launcher　and　streaked　toward　it；　dropping　Rockeye　clusterbomb　canisters　that　fell　short　but　spread　over　a　hundred　bomblets　all　over　the　area。　The　SA…11　launcher　exploded　in　his　wake；　its　crew　never　knew　what　had　happened。　A　thousand　yards　beyond　it　was　a　mobile　antiaircraft　gun　vehicle。　The　Phantom　engaged　it　with　his　own　cannon；　badly　damaging　it　as　he　swept　across　the　rest　of　the　peninsula　and　escaped　back　over　the　sea；　a　cloud　of　chaff　and　flares　in　his　wake。　It　was　a　letter…perfect　Weasel　mission。　All　four　aircraft　were　gone　before　the　Soviet　missile　crews　were　able　to　react。　The　two　SAMs　that　were　launched　exploded　harmlessly　in　chaff　clouds。　The　battery　had　lost　two…thirds　of　its　launcher　vehicles　and　all　of　its　search　radars。　Three　of　the　mobile　guns　were　also　destroyed　or　damaged。　The　bombers　were　now　a　mere　twenty　miles　out；　their　powerful　ECM　jamming　systems　drowning　the　Soviet　radar　with　electronic　noise。
They　could　not　defeat　the　radar　on　the　mobile　guns；　however。　The　new　system　had　a　radar　for　which　they　were　not　equipped；　but　it　didn't　matter。　The　guns　had　been　designed　to　deal　with　small　fighters；　and　when　their　radars　tried　to　lock　on　the　huge　bombers；　they　found　a　target　so　large　that　their　radar　signals　traced　from　one　part　to　another。　The　puters　could　not　decide　what　the　target　range　was；　and　kept　recycling　automatically；　rendering　the　electronics　package　useless。　The　gun　crews　cursed　as　one　man　and　switched　over　to　manual　fire…control；　using　their　eyes　to　sight　in　on　the　massive　ining　targets。
The　bombers　popped　up　to　nine　hundred　feet　now；　hoping　to　avoid　the　worst　of　the　gunfire　and　escape　without　loss。　They　had　not　been　warned　of　a　possible　fighter　presence。　Their　mission　was　to　wreck　Keflavik　before　fighters　could　get　there。
Now　surprise　was　on　the　Soviet　side。　The　Fulcrums　dived　out　of　the　sun　at　the　bombers。　Their　own　fire…control　radars　were　nearly　useless　as　they　approached；　but　half　their　missiles　were　infrared…guided；　and　the　American　bombers　gave　off　enough　heat　to　attract　the　attention　of　a　blind　man　in　a　fur　coat。
The　southbound　flight　of　three　never　saw　them　ing　in。　Two　took　missile　hits　and　exploded　in　midair。　The　third　radioed　for　fighter　cover；　jinking　his　aircraft　hard…too　hard。　His　second　dive　bottomed　out　too　late；　and　the　aircraft　disintegrated　on　the　ground　north　of　Keflavik　in　a　fireball　visible　to　Edwards　thirty　miles　away。
The　Russian　fighters　were　experiencing　an　airman's　dream。　All　eight　aircraft　had　individual　targets；　and　they　split　to　hunt　them　singly　before　Keflavik　absorbed　too　many　bomb　hits。　The　bomber　crews　pressed　in　on　their　targets。　It　was　too　late　to　run　away；　and　all　they　could　do　was　scream　for　the　fighters　to　e　back　and　support　them。
The　ground…based　gunners　joined　in。　Firing　over　open　sights；　a　young　sergeant　hit　a　bomber　just　dropping　its　load。　The　bomb　bay　took　a　dozen　rounds；　and　the　aircraft　vanished　in　a　deafening　explosion　that　shook　the　sky　and　damaged　yet　another　B…52。　One　missile…launch　crew　successfully　switched　their　missile…control　systems　to　the　backup　infrared　mode　and　fired　a　single　rocket　at　a　bomber。　It　hit　just　after　the　bombs　were　released。　The　bomber's　wing　erupted　in　flame　and　the　aircraft　swooped　east　trailing　a　black　river　of　smoke。
They　watched　it　approach　their　hill；　a　wounded　monster　whose　right　wing　trailed　burning　fuel。　The　pilot　was　trying　to　maintain　altitude　so　that　his　crew　could　eject；　but　all　four　of　his　right　engines　were　gone　and　the　burning　wing　collapsed。　The　bomber　staggered　in　the　air　and　dropped；　rolling　into　the　west　face　of　Hill　152。　None　of　the　crew　escaped。　Edwards　didn't　have　to　give　an　order。　In　five　seconds；　his　men　had　packed　their　gear　and　were　running　northeast。
The　remaining　bombers　were　now　over　the　target　and　screaming　for　help　from　their　escorting　fighters。　Eight　successfully　dropped　their　bomb　loads　before　turning　clear　of　the　area。　The　Soviet　fighters　had　claimed　five　by　now；　and　the　surviving　crews　were　desperate　to　escape　the　unexpected　hazard。　The　Russians　were　now　out　of　missiles；　and　attempting　to　engage　with　their　cannon。　That　was　dangerous。　The　B…52s　retained　their　tail　guns；　and　one　Fulcrum　was　damaged　by　machine…gun　fire　from　his　target　and　had　to　break　off。
The　final　element　of　confusion　was　the　return　of　the　American　Phantoms。　They　carried　only　three　Sparrow　missiles　each；　and　when　they　lit　off　their　missile…intercept　radars；　the　Soviet　fighters　all　received　warning　tones　from　their　defense　systems。　The　Fulcrums　scattered　before　the　twelve　ining　missiles　and　dove　for　the　ground。　Four　dropped　down　right　on　top　of　Edwards'　group；　swooping　low　over　a　crashed　B…52　east　of　Hafnarfjordur。　When　they　came　back　up；　the　sky　was　clear　again。　The　Phantoms　were　short　on　fuel。　They　could　not　press　their　attack　and　turned　away　without　a　single　kill。　The　surviving　bombers　were　now　safely　hidden　in　the　cloud　of　jamming。　The　Soviets　re…formed　and　moved　back　to　Keflavik。
Their　first　impression　was　a　bad　one。　Fully　two　hundred　bombs　had　fallen　within　the　airport　perimeter；　and　nine　of　them　had　found　runway　targets。　But　runway　eleven　was　unscarred。　As　they　watched；　the　single　Fulcrum　left　on　the　ground　roared　off　into　the　sky；　its　pilot　frantic　with　rage；　demanding　a　vector　to　a　target。　He　was　ordered　to　patrol　as　the　rest　of　the　squadron　landed　to　refuel。
The　first　battle　had　mixed　results。　The　Americans　lost　half　their　bomber　force　in　return　for　damaging　three　of　Keflavik's　five　runways。　The　Soviets　had　most　of　a　SAM　battery　smashed　to　little　gain；　but　Keflavik　was　still　usable。　Already　the　ground　personnel　were　running　to　the　runway…repair　equipment　left　behind　by　the　Americans。　At　the　end　of　each　runway　was　a　pile　of　gravel；　and　a　half…dozen　bunkers　contained　steel　mats。　Heavy　equipment　would　bulldoze　the　debris　back　into　the　holes；　even　it　out；　then　cover　it　over　with　gravel　and　steel。　Keflavik　was　damaged；　but　its　runways　would　be　fully　operational　again　before　midnight。

USS　PHARRIS
〃I　think　this　one's　for…real；　Captain；〃　the　ASW　officer　said　quietly。　The　line　of　colored　blocks　on　the　passive　sonar　display　had　lasted　for　seven　minutes。　Bearing　was　changing　slowly　aft；　as　though　the　contact　were　heading　for　the　convoy；　but　not　Pharris。
The　frigate　was　steaming　at　twelve　knots；　and　her　Prairie/Masker　systems　were　operating。　Sonar　conditions　were　better　today。　A　hard　thermocline　layer　at　two　hundred　feet　severely　impeded　the　utility　of　a　surface　sonar。　Pharris　was　able　to　deploy　her　towed…array　sonar　below　it；　however；　and　the　lower　water　temperature　there　made　for　an　excellent　sound　channel。　Better　still；　the　layer　worked　in　both　directions。　A　submarine's　sonar　had　as　much　trouble　penetrating　the　thermocline　as　a　surface　sonar。　Pharris　would　be　virtually　undetectable　to　a　submarine　below　the　layer。
〃How's　the　plot　look？〃　the　tactical　action　officer　asked。
〃Firming　up；〃　ASW　answered。　〃Still　the　distance　question。　Given　the　water　conditions　and　our　known　sonar　performance；　our　sonar　figure　of　merit　gives　us　a　contact　distance　of　anything　from　five　to　fourteen　miles　on　direct　path；　or　into　the　first　convergence　zone。　That　predicts　out　from　nineteen　to　twenty…three　miles　。　。　。〃　A　convergence　zone　is　a　trick　of　physics。　Sound　traveling　in　water　radiates　in　all　directions。　Noise　that　traveled　down　was　gradually　turned　by　water　temperature　and　pressure　into　a　series