he’d heard of the problems with JAST technology, he wasn’t all that convinced
the modified Tomcats would be that much help. But Batman seemed convinced an
op-test was essential to evaluating the performance of the aircraft, and
Stoney had to agree with him on that. If the Navy was going to be stuck with
the aircraft, it might as well make sure they worked first.
JAST was a comprehensive program aimed at building the finest strike
force in the world. Its mission was to develop technology and equipment to
outfit aviation strike programs for every branch of the service. Key to its
requirements were programs related to low observability–the follow-on term
for what had initially been called “stealth” technology–and black box
avionics that would dramatically increase both attack capabilities and
interoperability with other services’ data systems.
Tombstone took the frequent press releases and the JAST announcements on
the World Wide Web with a grain of salt. Too many programs over the past
twenty years had been touted as the ultimate marriage of man and machine, as
the final word in complete integration of all weapons systems.
There were two problems with building the ultimate joint strike system.
First, no matter how advanced the technology the United States developed,
someone would eventually develop a counter to it. The Aegis seaborne weapons
systems were a prime example. Even with a radar as sensitive as the SPY-1
system, the ships still had to be wary of mines and submarines.
Second, there was one factor that developers always seemed to overlook.
Clausewitz, the nineteenth-century German general and theorist, had given the
most accurate name to the phenomena that plagued every combat force and
confounded every tactical decision: the fog of war. No matter how
sophisticated, how elegantly planned and calculated, something would always go
wrong during a military campaign. War-fighters that relied on the latest
technology too much failed to plan for the inevitable foul-ups that were part
of life.
Still, he admitted, there were some improvements that could make a great
deal of difference in the Tomcat’s capabilities. And if Batman was vouching
for the JAST Tomcats, they were worth taking a look at.
Who knows? We might even have a chance to make some suggestions about
these queer turkeys before they go into production. A little Fleet testing
could make the difference between another Pentagon project that sticks us with
a politically correct and technologically screwed-up platform that just won’t
work.
He picked up the receiver to the carrier telephone lines and dialed CAG’s
number. After all, what was the use of being an admiral if he couldn’t roust
a mere Captain out of bed?
CHAPTER 4
Thursday, 27 June
1700 local (Zulu -7)
Hunter 701
Spratly Islands, South China Sea
Still awake back there?” asked Lieutenant Commander Steve “Rabies”
Grills. The Viking S-3B aircraft was at eight thousand feet, her engines
droning monotonously.
“Just barely. If you’d turn the vacuum cleaner down a little lower, we
could get some sleep,” the TACCO in the backseat complained.
“Awful surly for mere passengers,” the copilot said.
Rabies looked at his copilot and winked. “Regardless of what these fine
jet engines sound like, I’ll have you know this jet is not a vacuum cleaner.
It is a tactical military jet–and a damned fine acoustic chamber. In fact,
since you backseaters are being so uncomplimentary, I may just have to prove
it to YOU.”
“Come on, Rabies, no aerobatics. I had the pork chops for lunch,” the
TACCO whined.
“I was thinking of singing a few bars of my latest work for you. I call
it ‘She Left Me For A Dump Truck, But I Ain’t Dumping You,'” Rabies said
gleefully. “And you’re really going to like the second verse. Hell,
everybody likes country music–you just don’t know you do yet! By the time
this cruise is over, you’ll be begging me to share my music with you.
“Come on, sir, this is officer business!” said AW1 Fred Harness, the
enlisted technician in the other backseat. “I was on last cruise with you.
Why do I have to suffer, too?”
The Lockheed S-3B ASW aircraft banked into a gentle turn to the left.
Originally built during the Cold War era as a submarine hunter-killer, the