the effect of hamstringing those same aviators. Often in modern air combat
the first one to lock on and launch was the winner, and when the ROEs said not
to fire unless fired upon …
Against the sort of opposition the United States had met in the past–the
Libyans in the Gulf of Sidra, for example–it didn’t matter so much.
Technological and doctrinal superiority had allowed American pilots to survive
enemy attacks and come back swinging. But against first-class Soviet
opposition the same might not be true. If the Russians planned on starting
something this flight might be Batman’s last.
The dark thoughts flashed through Batman’s mind in an instant, but all he
said aloud was, “Roger, Tango Two-fiver.”
He dropped the Tomcat into a sharp bank and started the descent. The
Bear was low, but the Russians had underestimated the accuracy of American
radar surveillance. Thank God for the Hawkeye, Batman thought. Without the
E-2C the Russians might have been able to get much closer before they were
spotted.
Bears were archaic by modern standards, but the Bear-D reconnaissance
bird was still a deadly threat. That wasn’t so much because of the weaponry
it could carry, but rather because it could help more sophisticated Badgers or
Blackjacks to get a fix on American ships without exposing themselves to
detection. And a Badger armed with stand-off missiles could play havoc with
the battle group in a matter of minutes.
Each Bear hunt had to be treated as if it was the real thing. And if the
reports from Norway were true, tonight the threat was worse than ever before.
He could feel the huge Soviet aircraft long before he saw it. The low,
steady rumble of the plane’s four Kuznetsov turboprops shook the night sky
like distant thunder. He strained to see ahead, looking for some sign.
“Tally-ho!” The old aviator’s hunting call came over the radio.
Excitement made Tyrone’s voice shrill. “Eleven o’clock, Batman, and right
down on the deck!”
Batman spotted it then, the constellation of red and green navigation
lights that marked the Soviet plane. A red beacon strobed its anticollision
warning. At least the Bear wasn’t coming in blacked out. That counted for
something.
“Tango Two-fiver, Hound Two-oh-four. We have visual on the bandit!
Closing now.”
“Two-oh-four, this is Domino.” That was CAG’s voice, relayed by the
Hawkeye from Jefferson. “Go easy, but let that guy know he’s not welcome
here.”
“Roger, Domino,” Batman replied. “Tyrone, hang back and cover me. Stay
one mile out.”
“Roger,” came the laconic reply. Powers was shaping up as a steady hand
after all.
Batman turned to port and circled lazily around the Bear, crossing the
turbulence of the larger aircraft’s slipstream and falling into place
alongside. Batman fought to control his heartbeat and breathing. He was in
easy range of the Russian’s NR-23 cannons, and all it would take was one slip
to turn this from a routine encounter to the first shots of World War III.
“Remember the time off Korea,” Malibu warned. “They’ll probably hit
their searchlight.”
The reminder came just in time. A blinding lance of light shot out from
the searchlight mounting near the tail section, enveloping the Tomcat’s
cockpit. Batman kept his eyes averted and blinked hard.
Often in night encounters the Russians would illuminate their own plane
with the searchlight. It helped avoid misjudged distances and accidental
collisions. But within seconds Batman knew that wasn’t their intention this
time around.
The light held the Tomcat’s cockpit, challenging, probing.
“Picking up emissions from Big Bulge,” Malibu said. That was the NATO
code name for the ship-targeting radar system mounted in the oversized
teardrop-shaped housing on the belly of the Bear. It was useless for
air-to-air work. The only reason to use Big Bulge was to find surface ships
… and maybe steer stand-off missiles toward them.
Batman muttered a curse and rolled sideways, increasing speed slightly to
clear the searchlight beam. He steadied the Tomcat back on course even closer
to the Bear than before, close enough to see dark figures at the windows of
the cockpit and the tail section. They could see him as well.
He held up two fingers, then five, eight, and finally a clenched fist,