Sky Masters pm-2

by Dale Brown

“Jon wanted to take a look . “At your satellite terminal?”

  “No, ” Masters said. “At the Philippines; at the planes.” He paused for a few moments, then added: “You know something, Patrick: I’ll never look at this stuff the same way again.” “What do you mean?”

  “Well, I always used to see icons… pictures… nothing but computer-processed data on those screens, ” Jon said. “I worried more about the quality of the image, how long it’s been since the data was 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 mo
dified 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 in the Soviet Union and used extensively by many Soviet client countries ROE Rules of Engagement, the set of orders briefed to military personnel (usually fighter pilots) on when they may attack enemy forces; designed so that commanders may have strict control of a situation at all times, but also to provide maximum protection for crew members on the scene RON-Remain Overnight; usually referring to an unplanned diversion RPG rocketpropelled grenade, usually an antitank weapon carried by infantry RTB-Return To Base 5A-2-Soviet long-range surface-to-air missile system; older system, capable only against high-altitude targets 5A-I1-Soviet medium-range, high-performance surface-to-air missile system SAC-Strategic Air Command, primary long-range air offensive military organization in the United States, responsible for land-based strategic bombers, long-range land-based nuclear missiles, aerial refueling tankers, and long-range strategic reconnaissance an
d communications aircraft SATCOM-Satellite Communications System, the U.S. Air Force’s primary satellite communications system SCARAB-(F), Self Contained Air Relocatable Alert Booster, a highly transportable small space booster system designed to quickly launch lightweight satellites into Earth orbit from any location Sea Ray-small, inexpensive air-launched antiship missile, usually carried by helicopters based on naval vessels SECDEF Secretary of Defense, a member of the President’s Cabinet who makes the day-to-day decisions in all defense matters Shuihong-principal Chinese amphibious patrol and attack aircraft 510P-Single Integrated Operations Plan, the multi-service attack plan for all American military forces for the conduct of a strategic nuclear war SITREP-Situation Report; usually refers to a request for a quick summary of a battle or the status of forces involved in a battle SLAM-Standoff Land Attack Missile, the TV-guided version of the AGM-84 Harpoon missile SM-2-Standard Missile, the primary surface-to-air missile on large Navy warships SMFD~uper Multi Function Display, a large aircraft instrument computer display that presents flight information in a pictorial icon-based format instead of alphanumerics SPACECOM-Space Command, the Air Force major command responsible for all military space activities SPO-Senior Project Officer, the director of a particular weapon-development project Spratly Islands-a chain of small islands, atolls, and coral reefs in the South China Sea between the Philippines and Vietnam, long contested by several nations because of its strategic position and because of its natural resources SPY-I-primary three-dimensional radar system of the Aegis battle group air-defense system SR-71-“Blackbird” strategic reconnaissance aircraft, the fastest airbreathing manned aircraft ever built; retired in 1989 from the Strategic Air Command SRAM-Short Range Attack Missile, a nuclear-armed inertially guided attack missile carried by B-52, B-I, FB-111A, and B-2 bombers 55-25-Primary Soviet-made nuclear-armed mobile intercontinental ballistic missile START Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, a proposed treaty between the U.S. and the USSR to limit the number of long-range strategic nuclear weapons by both sides STRATFOR-Strategic Forces group, a team of Strategic Air Command commanders deployed ahead of a combat group to establish a headquarters team and set up support operations for combat aircraft STRC-Strategic Training Range Complex, an extensive series of lowlevel navigation corridors, radar bomb-scoring sites, live bombing ranges, and fighter-intercept exercise areas in the north-central United States, operated by the Strategic Air Command for bomber aircrew training ST Shuttle Transportation System, the official name of the Space Shuttle program sugar pills Doughnuts, rolls, and other such snacks TACIT RAINBOW-AGM-136 antiradar cruise missile designed by Northrop Ventura Corporation; seeks out and destroys enemy radar sites from as far as fifty miles; if the enemy radar shuts off, it can orbit the area until the radar is reactivated, at which time it will home in and destroy it. Tank-nickname for the main Joint Chiefs of Staff conference room; also called the “Gold Room” TC Telescopic Camera System, the long-range optical sight used on F-14 Tomcat fighters to identify enemy aircraft from beyond unaided visual range TDRS-Tracking and Data Relay System, a series of satellites used to relay information from spacecraft to ground-control facilities without using other Earth stations; provides continuous and rapid data exchange for spacecraft TDY-temporary duty, usually referring to military assignments lasting less than 180 days Tomahawk-long-range, very accurate attack cruise missile; can be launched by submarines or naval vessels, and can carry a variety of warheads including nuclear, antiship, land attack, antirunway, or antipersonnel mines Type EF5 guided missile destroyer-new class of primary Chinese heavy warships UHF-ultra-high-frequency; primary line-of-sight radio frequency band UNIDO-United Nationalist Democratic Organization, the principal political party in the Philippines organized to oppose the Marcos regime; placed in power in 1986 VFR-Visual Flight Rules; good-weather flight rules VLT Vertical Launch System, the current standard Navy missilelaunch system, which uses a large box of missile cells instead of rotary missile storage magazines and which fires its missiles straight up instead of on rails VPVO, VIPVO-Voyska Protivovozdushnoy Oborony, the Troops of Air Defense of the Soviet Union; here referring to the complex of fixed and mobile simulated enemy radar threat sites in the Strategic Training Range Complex operated by the Strategic Air Command to train bomber crews WSO-Weapon Systems Officer, the navigator-bombardier on most tactical bomber aircraft such as the F-4, A-6, F-I 11, etc. ZSU-23-4-mobile air-defense gun unit built in the Soviet Union and used all over the world, consisting of four rapid-firing radar-guided 23-millimeter cannons; deadly to all aircraft which come within range Zuni-standard unguided attack rocket carried by tactical fighter attack aircraft