Sky Masters

by Dale Brown

  updated, the readability-and the profits. You know, the usual... "But

  now. . . I see the pilots, crew chiefs, sailors, husbands and fathers

  out there. I think of how far they are from home. I wonder if they've

  got enough water, or if they've been up for a long time, or if they've

  been able to call home or gotten a letter from home-and I worry. I

  don't think I've worried about anything or anybody in ten years. I

  think about how dangerous it is to be flying at night-hell, I never used

  to know, or care, about what time of day it was out there. I never used

  to think about those icons, never realized that each symbol represented

  so many Americans fighting and dying in a strange land." He looked at

  the screen, then at McLanahan and Elliott with a faint smile and said,

  "It's like what you said back at the Arc Light Memorial on Guam,

  General, looking at that old B-52: I only saw the machine out there, but

  you saw the men. I didn't understand you then, but I think I understand

  now. "I think you do too, Jon, " Brad Elliott said. "And you know what?

  I don't think you'll ever be the same. Masters nodded, knowing Elliott

  was right. McLanahan knew it, too. ... GLOSSARY All items are

  real-world terms except where designated with 'F AAA-Anti Aircraft

  Artillery Advanced Missile Warning System-next generation of satellites

  that detect enemy missile launches Aegis-advanced naval air defense

  radar system AGM-84E SLAM-modified Harpoon long-range cruise missile

  with TV and satellite navigation system guidance AGM-I30

  Striker-rocket-boosted two-thousand-pound glide bomb; range ten to

  fifteen miles AIM-7-Sparrow radar-guided medium-range air-to-air missile

  AIM-9-Sidewinder infrared (heat) guided short-range air-to-air missile

  AIM-54-Phoenix radar-guided long-range air-to-air missile

  AIM-120-Scorpion radar-guided medium-range air-to-air missile ALARM-(F)

  Air Launched Alert Response Missile; aircraft-launched space booster

  AMRAAM-AIM-I20 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile; next generation

  of "launch-and-leave" guided missiles AMWS-Advanced Missile Warning

  System, next-generation radar/ laser system to warn pilots of incoming

  antiaircraft missiles ASEAN-Association of South East Asian Nations,

  cooperative council of nations, generally aligned to counter growing

  influence of China: Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, Thailand,

  Vietnam, Indonesia ASIS-(F) Attack Systems Integration Station, the

  mission commander's area (right seat) of a B-2 stealth bomber,

  responsible for navigation and attack ASROC-nuclear-tipped antisubmarine

  rocket torpedoes, launched by Navy ships ASTAB-automated status board

  monitors, part of AEGIS radar system AWACS-Airborne Warning and Control

  System, the E-3 radar plane that can detect, track, identify, and

  control air targets at long range AWG-9-long-range, high-powered attack

  radar on Navy F-14 Tomcat fighters BGAAWC-Battle Group Anti-Aircraft

  Warfare Center, the control center for all antiaircraft warfare in a

  Navy battle group Bhangmeters-nuclear detonation detection system on

  satellites; detects and measures the flash of a nuclear detonation and

  estimates the strength of the warhead BLU-9fuel-air explosive bomb, a

  weapon that disperses a fuel oil into the air; many times more powerful

  than a conventional bomb of similar size because it does not carry its

  own chemical oxidizers BMEWBallistic Missile Early Warning System, a

  radar system used to detect launch of submarine-launched ballistic

  missiles BNBombing and Navigation System BUFF-Big Ugly Fat Fellow,

  nickname for the B-52 bomber C101-long-range ship- or land-launched

  antiship missile built by China; Silkworm C601-long-range air-launched

  antiship missile built by China C801-medium-range Chinese antiship

  missile CAP-Combat Air Patrol, layers of fighters set up in an area to

  search for enemy attackers CIC-Combat Information Center, the central

  communications and control area on board naval vessels CINCSAC-Commander

  in Chief, Strategic Air Command, the four star Air Force officer

  responsible for strategic bombers, land-based strategic ballistic

  missiles, and long-range communications and reconnaissance aircraft

  CINCSPACECOM-Commander in Chief, Space Command; the four star Air Force

  officer responsible for all North American space activity including

  space surveillance, satellites, and rocket launches COBRA

  DANE-long-range radar system designed to provide technical information

  on Soviet and Chinese ballistic missiles, especially impact points of

  warheads COMSUBFLT-Commander, Submarine Fleet, the four-star Navy

  officer responsible for all American submarines DARPA-Defense Advanced

  Research Projects Agency, an office of the Department of Defense

  responsible for new weapon and aircraft research DC- 10-wide-body cargo

  and passenger carrier made by McDonnellDouglas Aircraft Co. DCI-Director

  of Central Intelligence, responsible for all intelligence gathering

  activities in the U.S. DEFCON-Defense Condition; ranges from 5 (peace,

  no advanced readiness) to 1 (all-out war); denotes worldwide readiness

  of U.S. military forces Defense Satellite Program (DSP)-name of agency

  that operates all military reconnaissance and intelligence-gathering

  satellites DF-direction-finder, a radio beacon that allows other

  DF-equipped units to locate it. DR-dead reckoning; estimating position

  by best-known heading and speed information Dreamland-unclassified

  nickname for military research area in south central Nevada DSC Defense

  Satellite Communications System, a network of voice and data satellites

  to connect military and civilian defense agencies all over the world

  Durandal-French-made runway-cratering bomb that uses a rocket engine to

  burrow deep under a runway surface before detonating its high-explosive

  warhead E-2 Hawkeye-naval carrier-based airborne radar plane used to

  monitor friendly aircraft and search for enemy aircraft and vessels

  E-3-Sentry airborne radar plane (see AWACS) E-4B NEACP pronounced

  "kneecap"); National Emergency Airborne Command Post, a heavily modified

  Boeing 747 airliner used as a communications plane for the President of

  the United States and other high-ranking government officials in wartime

  EB-52-(F) modified B-52 bomber with air defense and defense suppression

  weapons and equipment EC-18-next-generation electronic intelligence

  aircraft operated by the Strategic Air Command EC-135C strategic

  communications platform ELT~emergency locator transmitter, a radio that

  transmits a beacon signal on special search and rescue frequencies to

  facilitate rescue operations ~MP~electromagnetic pulse, the high burst

  of energy from a nuclear explosion that can disrupt communications and

  electronic circuitry for long distances and for long periods of time

  ETA-estimated time of arrival ETE-estimated time en route F-4E

  Phantom~urrent two-seat fighterzbomber built by McDonnellDouglas F-16

  ADF Fighting Falcon lightweight fighter built by General Dynamics; ADF

  (air defense fighter) model specially modified to intercept unidentified

  bomber aircraft at long range F-23 Wildcat-(fictional, but
X-23 is

  actual) next-generation fighter built by Northrop and McDonnell-Douglas

  Fei Lung 7 Chinese ship-launched medium-range antiship missile Fei

  Lung-9-(F) Chinese ship-launched long-range antiship missile with

  nuclear warhead FIEfighter-intercept exercise, where fighters practice

  finding, identifying, intercepting, and attacking bombers FOREST

  GREEN-Defense Department program developed to detect and measure nuclear

  explosions on Earth or in the atmosphere Form "'81-standard aircraft

  maintenance log Fox Three-in an air intercept, a code meaning the

  aircraft's machine gun or cannon is being employed GCI-Ground Controlled

  Intercept, ground radar station that controls fighters to intercept

  unidentified aircraft Global Positioning System (GPS)-constellation of

  satellites in Earth orbit that provide very precise time, position, and

  groundspeed information to aircraft and vessels GUARD-121.5 or 243.0

  megahertz, the international emergency radio frequencies HADES-(F)

  BLU-96 fuel-air explosive bomb Harpoon-U.S.-made AGM-84 long-range

  antiship missile HAVE NAP-AGM-142 Israeli-made long-range air-launched

  attack missile HAVE QUICK-secure antieavesdrop air-to-air radio used by

  friendly fighters HAWC-(F) High Technology Aerospace Weapons Center, a

  secret U.S. Air Force research facility in Dreamland that conducts

  flighttest experiments on new and modified aircraft and new weapon

  systems HDTV-high-definition television Hong Qian-6I-short-range

  antiaircraft missile system deployed on medium-size Chinese warships

  Hong Qian-91-medium-range antiaircraft missile system deployed on large

  Chinese naval vessels Hornet-F/A-18 carrier-based fighter-bomber built

  by McDonnellDouglas HUD-heads-up display, a system that projects flight

  and weapons information in front of a pilot's field of view to allow him

  to read important flight information without looking back down inside

  the cockpit at his instrument panel during critical phases of flight,

  such as air combat ICBM-intercontinental ballistic missile, very

  long-range nuclear tipped attack missiles IFF-Identification Friend or

  Foe, a radio system that broadcasts coded identification information to

  other aircraft or radar systems IN-instructor navigator IRSTS-infrared

  search and track system, an electronic weapon system for fighters that

  detects heat energy and can transmit azimuth (bearing to the target)

  data to the fighter's fire-control weapon system ISAR-Inverse Synthetic

  Aperture Radar, a radar system that uses the motion of the object being

  tracked to sharpen and define the radar image; commonly used to identify

  ships by naval reconnaissance aircraft J-2-part of the Joint Chiefs of

  Staff joint staIf, J-2 is the JCS directorate of intelligence JC Joint

  Chiefs of Staff, the commanders of the five main branches of the

  American military that serve as the interface between the National

  Command Authority (President and Secretary of Defense) and the military

  forces. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is the NCA's primary

  uniformed military adviser. KA-aerial refueling tanker version of the

  A-6 Intruder carrier based attack aircraft KC-10-aerial refueling tanker

  version of the McDonnell-Douglas DC10 airliner KC-135-aerial refueling

  tanker version of the C-135 transport plane KH-Keyhole series of

  photographic reconnaissance, surveillance, and intelligence-gathering

  satellites; produces very high-resolution photographs; the code name

  KEYN0LE refers to overhead photographic imaging systems, including

  aircraft and satellites LACROSS~new generation of high-resolution radar

  imaging satellites; transmits intelligence data to Earth by data link

  LSD-large-screen display; main processed radar data display of the Aegis

  naval battle group air defense system; also Landing Ship, Dock, an

  amphibious assault ship that carries large floating dock pieces to

  oflload supply ships during beach assaults M61A1-standard 20-millimeter

  cannon of many American fighter aircraft MAC-Military Airlift Command,

  the Air Force organization responsible for most American military

  transport duties MAJCOM-Major Command, the main organizations directed

  by the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the National Command Authority; divided

  into specified (single-service) or unified Joint-service) commands

  Megafortress-(F) unclassified nickname of the EB-52 strategic

  "battleship" escort aircraft MEU-Marine Expeditionary Unit, the smallest

  and most responsive of the U.S. Marine Corps' air-ground task forces;

  usually made up of two thousand Marines and Navy personnel and usually

  deployed with Navy fleets MFD-multi-function display, an instrument

  screen in a modern aircraft cockpit that displays different data and

  performs different functions, depending on the selected mode Mk

  82-standard five-hundred-pound general-purpose high-explosive bomb

  MNP-Moro National Party, the pro-Islamic political organization active

  in the southern Philippines MOA-Military Operating Area, a piece of

  airspace set aside for high performance fighter activity; the military

  is responsible for aircraft separation Murene NTL-90-French-made

  air-launched torpedo MUTES-Multiple Target Emitter Site, a mobile

  electronic threat complex used in training missions by the Strategic Air

  Command; simulates many different types of enemy radar-guided

  air-defense weapons MV-22A-Marine Corps amphibious assault version of

  the V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft Nansha Da Chinese name for the

  Spratly Islands National Security Advisor Coordinates activities of the

  National Security Council and reports directly to the President National

  Security Council-principal advisory group to the President on defense

  matters; composed of the Vice President, Secretaries of State, Treasury,

  and Defense, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Director

  of Central Intelligence NAVSTAR-unclassified nickname of the Global

  Positioning System of navigation satellites NCA-National Command

  Authority, composed of the President of the United States and the

  Secretary of Defense, who command all combat forces through the

  operational chain of command New People's Army-the Communist guerrilla

  forces of the National Democratic Front, a major antigovernment force in

  the Philippines New Philippine Army-the name of the reorganized

  Philippine defense forces NIRTSat(F) Need It Right This Second

  satellites, a series of lightweight communications, intelligence, and

  reconnaissance satellites launched by small, quick-response space

  boosters such as ALARM. NMCC-National Military Command Center, the main

  commandcontrol-communications facility for senior Pentagon commanders

  NORAD-North American Aerospace Defense Command, the joint multi-service

  U.S. and Canadian organization responsible for surveillance and

  air-defense operations of North America; located within Cheyenne

  Mountain, Colorado NSA-National Security Agency, the agency responsible

  for interpreting and disseminating intelligence information NSC-National

  Security Council OPLANOperations Plan, generally referring to the

  pre-planned series of military responses drawn for various
parts of the

  world 050-Offensive Systems Officer, the navigator-bombardier on a B-I

  strategic bomber PACAF-Pacific Air Forces, the major Air Force command

  responsible for all air operations from the U.S. West Coast to Africa

  PACER SKY-(F) a satellite-based reconnaissance system that transmits

  real-time infrared, visual, and radar satellite data to a ground or

  airborne terminal to provide aircrews or commanders with

  up-to-the-minute information on enemy troop positions Palawan-the

  westernmost island province of the Philippines; very sparsely settled

  and remote PCS permanent change of station; generally any military

  assignment lasting more than 180 days Phalanx CIW CIWS, or Close-In

  Weapon System; Phalanx is a radarguided 30-millimeter Gatling gun used

  by many classes of naval vessels for last-ditch defense against antiship

  missiles Powder River-a MOA (Military Operating Area) covering parts of

  Montana, Wyoming, and South Dakota, part of the Strategic Training Range

  Complex of the Strategic Air Command; used as a fighter-intercept area

  and bombing range PRC-People's Republic of China PRF-pulse repetition

  frequency, the rate at which a radar system transmits electronic

  signals; faster PRF rates usually denote very high-precision radar

  tracking, as for gun or missile control PT-physical training Puerto

  Princesa-the main city and capital of the island province of Palawan in

  the Philippines RC-135X-a version of the Strategic Air Command's series

  of strategic reconnaissance aircraft, specifically designed to locate,

  classify, and target enemy surface-to-air missile sites RC~radar

  cross-section, the apparent size of a target on a radar, referring to

  the ability of a radar to detect a target at a given range; mostly a

  function of the size and structural composition of the target RED FLAG a

  large-scale tactical air war game exercise held several times a year at

  Nellis Air Force Base in southern Nevada, involving hundreds of aircraft

  from all over the world RHAW Radar Heading and Warning System, a display

  in many modern fighter aircraft that warns of the presence, direction,

  and type of enemy radars RIO-Radar Intercept Officer, the "backseater"

  in an F-14 Tomcat carrier-based fighter responsible for locating enemy

  targets RK-S~standard twenty-kiloton tactical nuclear warhead designed