combat.”
Brandt had fought bitterly against the decision to use Jefferson as a
test case for female flight officers, Tombstone knew. He’d lost,
though, because the Jeff, in Norfolk for repairs, was the only carrier
immediately available when the decision was made. Tombstone had heard
rumors that Brandt had threatened to resign over the issue. If they
were true, he was glad the skipper hadn’t carried out the threat. He
was a damned good officer, and a good ship captain. Jefferson was
almost certainly his last command at sea–how did a naval officer top
command of a CVN?–and it would be tragic if he was forced to go ashore
under a cloud.
“I doubt that DACOWITS had anything to do with this, Captain,” Tarrant
said gently. “Jefferson is up to full strength with the new units
brought on board at Norfolk. She also has the best combat record in the
fleet. I’m sure that was quite enough to recommend us to the CNO.”
“Don’t get me wrong, Admiral,” Brandt said. “I’m not trying to wiggle
out of this. But merciful God in heaven …” He surveyed the map, as
though in amazement. “One CBG can’t possibly blockade the entire
Murmansk coast!”
“We won’t have to, Captain,” Tarrant said. “Washington already has it
blocked out.”
Tombstone listened intently as Tarrant laid out the plan as proposed by
the Pentagon in their latest orders. It was simple and direct, but
required considerable support from other fleet elements.
Jefferson and the other surface ships of the battle group would take up
a patrol station north of the Russian-Norwegian border, far enough east
to maintain their surveillance of the nearest neo-Soviet bases, far
enough west to be able to head for shelter in Tanafjorden or to run for
the Norwegian Sea if the Russians came out in overwhelming strength. The
Eisenhower group would move further north, toward the edge of the
Barents ice pack.
Galveston and Morgantown, meanwhile, the two Los Angeles-class attack
subs attached to CBG-14, were already off the Kola Peninsula. They
would probe ahead, deep into Russian territorial waters, taking up
position right off the Kola Inlet itself. CBG-7’s subs would take up
station fifty miles behind them, to catch any big ones that got away.
Other American SSNs were already in the area. They would cover Gremikha
and the mouth to the White Sea and would serve as backups for the subs
of the two carrier groups.
Submarines, Tombstone thought, would definitely prove their worth in
this situation. Air strikes and showing the flag both had their place,
but the superbly quiet SSNs could sneak right up to Ivan’s front porch,
stay as long as was necessary, and slip silently away again.
The submarines would be the CBG’s advance scouts, monitoring Russian
subs and other vessels as they entered or left port–especially at
Polyamyy.
Backing them would be Jefferson’s ASW squadrons–the Vikings of VS-42,
the King Fishers, and the SH-3H Sea Kings of HS-19–using air-dropped
sonobuoys to weave a net across the southern reaches of the Barents Sea.
Any sub contact would be shadowed, by air or by submarine. Russian
PLARBs would be identified; if necessary, the hunters would deliberately
reveal themselves and thereby warn the Russian sub skippers that the
Americans had them in their sights.
“We will not give the weapons-free order,” Tarrant explained, “unless
the PLARB is clearly about to launch despite our interference.”
“And if he tries to launch anyway?” Tombstone asked.
“Then we drop him.”
Brandt scratched at one fleshy jowl. “What about their Northern Fleet?”
“Still licking their wounds after the Fjords,” Tarrant replied. “Latest
satellite intel suggests that at least ten capital ships were sunk or
dinged up pretty bad, and that doesn’t count both the Kreml and the
Soyuz getting deep-sixed. A lot of ships are laid up in drydock, or
rusting on their moorings. Some of their nuke subs have become hazards,
no longer seaworthy, too hot to break up. God knows what they’re going
to do with them. Morale in their Northern Fleet is wretched. What’s
worse, they’ve been having a bad time getting supplies for the fleet.”
“I bleed for them,” Brandt said.
“There will be a chance, of course, that the Russians will sortie their