Fatal Terrain

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Fatal Terrain Page 38

by Dale Brown


  locked up the two lead formations. The Q-5 fighter, with var-

  iable-geometry wings, was fast and agile, but the AS-10 mis-

  sile had a maximum range of only six miles and required the

  pilot to acquire the target using the TV sensor on the missile

  itself. Atkins jammed the Q-5's mapping radar, which meant

  the Chinese pilots had to climb so they could visually acquire

  the two Navy frigates-and that made them sitting ducks for

  Atkins and his Scorpion missiles. Both missiles hit dead on

  target, destroying two Q-5s, and their wingmen promptly did

  a one-eighty and headed for home.

  "Pilot, mil power, heading two-zero-zero," Atkins ordered.

  "I've got two formations of two still inbound. They split up,

  but we know who they're going after-they gotta converge

  soon. We gotta be there ahead of them." The Megafortress

  banked hard in response, speeding southward toward the two

  Navy frigates. "Okay, I've got the closest bandits at our seven

  o'clock, ten miles-they're only a few miles from their launch

  points. Stand by for Stinger launch. Give me a hard turn to

  one-five-zero."

  252 DALE BROWN

  As Elliott threw the Megafortress into a hard left turn,

  Atkins activated the tail-mounted Stinger self-defense rockets,

  locked up the formation of Q-5 bombers to the west, and began

  laying down a string of Stinger airmines in the path of the Q-5

  fighters. The airmines exploded far ahead of the fighter-

  bombers, probably too far to be seen, but Atkins was hoping

  that he might catch one or both of the fighters with the large

  cloud of flak pellets generated by the exploding rockets. When

  the Megafortress was just a few miles from the northernmost

  formation, Atkins shouted, "Hard right, heading two-five-oh!"

  and as the bomber turned, Atkins started pumping out rockets

  in front of the second formation.

  This time, they were closer to the Chinese fighters-one

  direct hit. The pilot of the single-engine Q-5 fighter, his engine

  shelled out by hundreds of steel pellets from the Stinger rock-

  ets, bailed out seconds before his Q-5 fighter exploded when

  the engine tore itself apart. His wingman stayed on the attack

  run and launched all four of his AS-10 missiles, copies of the

  American-made Maverick attack missiles, at the James Daniel.

  The Chinese pilot locked all four missiles on target, then

  started a hard right turn away from the frigate-directly into

  the lethal attack cone of the Megafortress's Stinger tail cannon.

  At least six of the Megafortress's Stinger rockets hit home,

  shredding the Q-5's canopy, engine, forward fuselage-and

  pilot.

  "JD, this is Headbanger One, one fighter launched on you!"

  McLanahan shouted on the satellite fleet common frequency.

  "We show four inbounds!" But the warning came too late.

  The frigate's Phalanx close-in weapon system, a 30-millimeter

  radar-guided Gatling gun, destroyed two of the AS-10 missiles

  that had auto-locked onto the frigate, but the other two hit

  home. Their forty-pound high-explosive warheads struck the

  helicopter hangar and the forecastle. The nearly one-inch-thick

  Kevlar armor around the command spaces protected the bridge

  and forecastle, but the other missile destroyed the James Dan-

  iel's starboard-side helicopter hangar, the 75-millimeter gun,

  and the amidships Mk 92 fire-control radar antenna, and an

  explosion in one of the starboard Mk 32 anti-submarine tor-

  pedo tubes created a fire and extensive damage.

  Fully loaded and hungry for vengeance, Kelvin Carter and

  his crew aboard Headbanger Two attacked the second large

  formation of Chinese attackers from maximum range. The sec-

  ond formation of Chinese aircraft was four H-6 bombers, cop-

  ies of the thirty-year-old Soviet Tupolev-16 Badger heavy

  bomber; each bomber carried two huge Hai Ying-4 Sea Eagle

  anti-ship missiles. Two H-6 bombers were hit by Scorpion

  missiles and were forced to break off their attacks, but the

  other two got within range of the Navy frigates, fired their

  cruise missiles, and turned for home. Carter's crew launched

  their last six Scorpion missiles at the Sea Eagle missiles, de-

  stroying two of them. The Duncan managed to destroy one

  with its 76-millimeter gun and damage the last one with its

  Phalanx close-in weapon system, but even damaged, the three-

  quarter-ton cruise missile devastated the Duncan. The missile

  hit the aft starboard quarter, tearing a huge hole in the stem.

  It took several more minutes for Atkins and McLanahan

  both to declare the area secure. At least eight Taiwanese F-16

  and F-5 fighters were nearby, patrolling the air' space from sea

  level to forty thousand feet. "JD, this is Headbanger, how

  copy?" McLanahan called.

  "Loud and clear," the James Daniel's tactical action officer

  responded. "We show clear to the north. The Taiwan air force

  showed up and kicked ass to the south."

  "What's your status?"

  "We both got hit pretty bad," the TAO reported. "We're

  still under way, but fires up on deck are still not under control.

  Duncan is heavily darnaged-we're setting up to receive sur-

  vivors. She probably won't make it."

  "Crap," McLanahan cursed aloud. "JD, Headbanger One

  is going to clear off north and hit the tanker. Headbanger Two

  will stay on station, in case the PLAN shows up. We'll be

  rotating our coverage as long as you need us. We're fully anti-

  ship capable. We'll still need the Taiwan Air Force in the area

  to help with antiair coverage."

  "Copy, Headbanger," the TAO replied. "We sure would

  appreciate all the help we can get. I sure as hell won't bad-

  mouth you zoomies anymore."

  "Son-y we couldn't be more help," McLanahan said.

  "We'll be watching yoiir backside. Headbanger One clear."

  254 DALE BROWN

  THE PRESIDENT'S STUDY, WHITE HOUSE

  OVAL OFFICE., WASHINGTON, D.

  WEDNESDAY, 18 JUNE, 2151 HOURS ET

  It was right there, on a CNN "Breaking News Special Report"

  live video of a sinking Chinese ferry, about twenty miles from

  Quemoy Island. Again and again, CNN also replayed the vide-

  otape that had been turned over to them at their Beijing bureau

  by the Chinese governments video showing two missiles

  slamming into the ferry, the explosions, the fire ... CNN was

  also showing videotape of a similar attack on the Chinese air-

  craft carrier Mao Zedong, during Reunification Day celebra-

  tions. First they showed the fireworks, the children, the flags,

  the awestruck civilians on tour-and then they showed the dev-

  astation just seconds after torpedoes from an unknown attacker

  slammed into the carrier. The videotape clearly showed the

  damage, showed the injured and dead civilians ...

  ... and it showed what caused all that death and destruc-

  tion, a captured Taiwanese attack submarine, forced to the sur-

  face, captured, then sunk by Chinese shore- and carrier-based

  naval forces.

  "My God," som
eone muttered. "This is the most incredible

  tape I've ever seen. We've got to respond right away."

  "The first damn thing I want everyone to do is to calm

  down, " the President of the United States, Kevin Martindale,

  said as he swiveled uncomfortably in his chair. The members

  of his staff and the military representatives were on their feet

  watching the TV monitors in absolute shock and horror. "I'm

  not taking any more phone calls from the media for the rest

  of the evening, especially from CNN. I don't care if Jane

  Fonda herself calls asking for more information." With the

  President in his study adjacent to the Oval Office was Philip

  Freeman, the President's National Security Advisor; Robert

  Plank, Director of Central Intelligence; and chairman of the

  Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral George Balboa, representing the

  uniformed services.

  Entering last and standing beside and slightly behind the

  President was his chief of staff, Jerrod Hale. "Secretaries

  Chastain and Hartman are not available," Hale told the Pres-

  ident. "The Vice President and Mr. Ricardo are en route, ETA

  ten minutes."

  "I need to talk to Jeffrey and Arthur ASAP,- the President

  told Hale. Turning to his assembled advisors, the President

  began, "Phil, get us started."

  "Yes, sir," Freeman said, opening a red-jacketed folder

  with the words "TOP SECRET" emblazened on the cover.

  "About an hour ago, approximately seven P. Washington

  time, eight A. Hong Kong time, several very unusual and

  deadly events occurred in the Formosa Strait region almost

  simultaneously. We're seeing the press reports of what hap-

  pened, but I have the preliminary field reports, and they paint

  a much different picture.

  "First, several missiles were fired at two U. Navy frigates

  operating near Quemoy Island," Freeman said. "One frigate,

  a Naval Reserve Fleet ship named the Duncan, was hit by two

  torpedoes and slightly damaged. The EB-52 Megafortress was

  in the vicinity at the time of the attack, and the crew reported

  that it detected the missile launch and pinpointed the ship that

  launched the missiles. Without penrnission, the Megafortress

  attacked."

  "Ol' Brad Elliott hit his intended target, too--except it turns

  out it was a Chinese passenger ship, " Admiral Balboa inter-

  jected hody. "Brad Elliott disregarded orders and blew the shit

  out of a passengerferry.

  "Casualties?"

  "The Chinese report sixty-eight civilians dead, over two

  hundred injured," Freeman said somberly. "Unable to verify

  it yet, but judging by the videotape, that's an accurate number.

  Rescue efforts are under way, as we can see."

  "Oh, God," the President murmured; then, in a much

  louder, angrier tone: "What possible explanation did Elliott

  give?"

  "The crew claims that the ferry was towing a barge that

  made it look like a cruiser or destroyer on radar, and that the

  rocket-powered torpedoes launched at the Duncan and James

  Daniel did come from the direction of that ferry," Freeman

  said. "They said they were just protecting the frigates."

  "General Freeman, I wish you'd stop being a mama's boy

  to Brad Elliott," Admiral Balboa exploded. "Technical

  glitches, wolf in sheep's clothing, saving the day, spooks and

  goblins-forget the damned excuses, because he's got a mil-

  256 DALE BROWN

  lion of them. The bottom line is that Elliott attacked again

  without permission. He didn't do a complete target assessment

  and fired two heavy missiles at a noncombatant."

  "But the Megafortresses redeemed themselves," Freeman

  went on. "They stayed with the frigates and helped to fight

  off a Chinese air attack on the frigates. According to reports

  from the James Daniel and the Megafortress's crew, China

  launched several formations of fighters and attack planes, in-

  cluding four heavy bombers with large anti-ship cruise mis-

  siles. Elliott and his wingman. in the Megafortresses used their

  antiaircraft weapons to shoot down a number of the attackers;

  Taiwan Air Force fighters helped to fight off several forma-

  tions of Chinese fighters."

  "None of this would have happened," Balboa argued, "if

  Elliott hadn't put those two missiles into that ferry."

  "I disagree, Admiral," Freeman said. "Those fighters and

  attack planes were on the scene within minutes of the attack

  on the ferry. This was a planned attack, made to look like

  retaliation for our attack."

  "That's bullshit, Freeman."

  "All right, all right," the President said. He turned-to Free-

  man and said, "Looks like Brad Elliott screwed up big-time,

  Philip. Is he on his way back to Guam?"

  "No, sir," Freeman replied. "Both Megafortresses are on

  station with the James Daniel and Duncan, in case any Chi-

  nese naval vessels try to approach. The Taiwanese air force is

  also overhead, in case there are any more air attacks."

  "Sir, we've got to stop fucking around with these damned

  B-52 monstrosities and take command of the region," Admiral

  Balboa said, completely abandoning all courtesy toward his

  commander in chief. "We need the Independence to move into

  the Strait to assist the frigates in recovery and withdrawal, right

  now. And we've got to initiate an investigation of that missile

  attack-Elliott and whoever else screwed up has to be held

  liable. Congress, our allies, and the American people are going

  to scream bloody murder over this. Elliott needs to have his

  nuts chopped off!"

  "Admiral, I warned you, watch your damned mouth when

  you're speaking to the President," Jerrod Hale snapped.

  "Jerrod, easy-I'm upset, too," the President said. "All

  right. Terminate all the EB-52 patrols, recall those bombers

  back to wherever the hell they came from-hide them away

  someplace where the press can't find them, until we have the

  spin under control. When they get back to Guam, I want a full

  investigation of the incident. . . " he paused, then added,

  ". . . with the intention of filing criminal charges against El-

  liott, McLanahan, whoever was in command of the aircraft that

  fired the missiles against the 'ferry. This is going to be seri-

  ous." He paused again, then added, "And get the Indepen-

  dence group under way to take up patrol positions in the Strait.

  We can use commercial or allied salvage services to assist the

  frigates, but the reason we're moving the Independence into

  the Strait is to help the frigates."

  "Yes, sir. " Balboa nodded and was on the phone imme-

  diately, issuing the orders. In the meantime, sir, what do you

  suggest we tell the press about the attack on the ferry?" Bal-

  boa asked. There was a definite edge in his voice this time, as

  if he was rubbing the President's nose in the filth caused by

  his decision to send in the EB-52 Megafortresses. "We will

  not blame this attack on my frigates-they obeyed orders and

  did not open fire, unlike your damned thingamajigs."


  "Admiral..." Jerrod Hale warned him, picking up on his

  disrespectful tone of voice. Balboa glared at Hale, but kept

  silent by taking an unrepentant sip of coffee.

  The President did not show any anger at the chairman of

  the Joint Chiefs of Staff. "We tell them ... that we had armed

  military patrol aircraft in the area that mistakenly fired on the

  ferry," he said. "No elaboration beyond that. We can report

  the rest in closed-door briefings if necessary, but no details

  about the Megafortresses to the press." Freeman and Hale

  nodded; Balboa showed little reaction. "All right. What else

  happened out there?"

  "At almost the exact same time, sir, the Chinese carrier Mao

  Zedong was hit by three torpedoes as it lay at anchor near

  Hong Kong," Freeman replied. The President's aw sagged,

  and he muttered a barely audible "Ah, shit." "It i was part of

  Reunification Day celebrations; it carried a skeleton crew of

  about a thousand, and approximately a thousand civilians, most

  of whom had slept aboard the ship. The carrier reportedly sus-

  tained major damage. Casualties are reported to be heavy.

  "The carrier responded with an attack by several helicop-

  ters, at which time they attacked and damaged a Taiwanese

  Sea Dragon-class submarine, forcing it.to the surface. The

  258 DALE BROWN

  crew was taken off the sub, and then it was blown to bits and

  sunk by gunfire from the carrier Mao. "

  "Jesus," the President muttered. "What does the ROC say

  about it?"

  "Taiwan hasn't issued any statements so far," DCI Robert

  Plank responded woodenly. The President looked surprised,

  then frustrated, then angry at the news. "We know that a cou-

  ple Taiwanese subs have been shadowing the Mao since it

  returned to Hong Kong after the attack on Quemoy-we've

  got two subs in the vicinity as well, although we were careful

  to stay out of Hong Kong waters. Apparently the Taiwanese

  navy decided the Mao was too inviting a target and decided

  to be heroes and sink the son of a bitch. Their plan backfired."

  "Simultaneously, it appears that a Taiwanese C-130 trans-

  port plane was detected near Lang-Ch'i Army Base, twenty

 

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