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re their slow left turns took them toward the North Atlantic。
Twenty miles off the North Russian coast； USS Narwhal hovered beneath the surface of a slate…gray sea。 The quietest submarine in the U。S。 fleet； she was a specialized intelligence…gathering platform that spent more time on the Soviet coast than did some ships in the Russian Navy Her three thin ESM antennae were raised； as was a million…dollar search periscope。 Technicians aboard listened in on low…power radio conversations between aircraft as they formed up。 Three uniformed intelligence specialists and a civilian from the National Security Agency evaluated the strength of the raid and decided that it was large enough to risk a warning broadcast。 An additional mast was raised and aimed at a munications satellite twenty…four thousand miles away。 The burst transmission lasted less than a fifteenth of a second。
USS NIMITZ
The message was automatically relayed to four separate munications stations； and within thirty seconds was at SACLANT headquarters。 Five minutes after that； Toland had the yellow message form in his hand。 He walked immediately to Admiral Baker； and handed the message over： 0418Z REALTIME SENDS WARNING AIR RAID TAKE OFF 0400 HEADING WEST FROM KOLA ESTIMATE FIVE REGIMENT PLUS。
Baker checked his watch。 〃Fast work。 CAG？〃
The air group mander looked at the form and walked to a phone。 〃Shoot off the plus…fives； recall the patrol aircraft when they get to station； and set up two more Tomcats and a Hummer on plus…five。 I want the returning aircraft turned around immediately。 Reserve one catapult for tankers。〃 He came back。 〃With your permission； sir； I propose to put another pair of F…14s and another Hummer up in an hour； and put all the fighters on plus…five。 At 0600； the rest of the fighters go up； with tankers in support。 We'll meet them with everything we have about two hundred miles out and kick their ass。〃
〃Very well。 ments？〃
Svenson looked pensively at the master plot。 Circles were already being drawn for the farthest possible advance of the Soviet bombers。
〃The Brits get the same warning？〃
〃Yes； sir；〃 Toland answered。 〃Norwegians； too。 With luck； one or the other might make contact with the raid and nibble at it some； maybe put a trailer with them。〃
〃Nice idea； but don't count on it。 If I was running the attack； I'd e way west and turn south right over Iceland。〃 Svenson looked back at the plot。 〃You think Realtime would have broadcast a warning for BearDs？〃
〃My information； sir； is that they are allowed to broadcast only for three regiments or more。 Ten or twenty Bears wouldn't be enough。 They might not even notice。〃
〃So right now we probably have a herd of Bears out there； not emitting anything； just flying around listening for our radar signals。〃
Toland nodded agreement。 The battle group was a circle of ships with a radius of thirty miles； the carriers and troop ships in the center surrounded by nine missile…armed escorts and six more specialized antisubmarine ships。 None of the ships had a radar transmitter working。 Instead they got all their electronic information from the two circling E…2C air surveillance aircraft； known colloquially as Hummers； whose radars swept a circle over four hundred miles across。
The drama being played out was more plex than the most intricate game。 More than a dozen variable factors could interact； with their permutations running into the thousands。 Radar detection range depended on altitude and consequent distance to the horizon that neither eyes nor radar can see past。 An aircraft could avoid； or at least delay； detection by skimming the waves。 But this carried severe penalties in fuel consumption and range。
They bad to locate the battle group without being detected by it first。 The Russians knew where the carrier group was； but it would move in the four hours required for the bombers to get there。 Their missiles needed precise information if they were to home in on the raid's primary target； the two American and one French carrier； or the mission was a wasted effort。
Putting the group's fighters on station to intercept the ining raid depended on expert prognostication of its direction and speed。 Their job： to locate and engage the bombers before they could find the carriers。
For both sides； the fundamental choice was whether or not to radiate； to use their radar transmitters。 Either choice carried benefits and dangers； and there was no 〃best〃 solution to the problem。 Nearly every American ship carried powerful air…search radars that could locate the raid two hundred or more miles away。 But those radar signals could be detected at an even greater range； generating a return signal； that would potentially allow the Soviets to circle the formation； pinpoint it； then converge in from all points of the pass。
The game was hide and seek； played over a million square miles of ocean。 The losers died。
NORTH ATLANTIC
The Soviet Bear…D reconnaissance bombers were passing south of Iceland。 There were ten of them； covering a front of a thousand miles。 The monstrous propeller…driven aircraft were packed full of electronics gear and crewed by men with years of training and experience in locating the American carrier groups。 At the nose； tail； and wingtips； sensitive antennae were already reaching out； searching for the signals from American radar transmitters。 They would close on those signals； chart them with great care； but remain forever outside the estimated detection radius。 Their greatest fear was that the Americans would use no radar at all； or that they would switch their sets on and off at random intervals and locations； which posed the danger of the Bears' blundering directly into armed ships and aircraft。 The Bear had twenty hours of endurance； but the penalty for it was virtually no bat capability。 It was too slow to run from an interceptor； and had no ability to fight one。 〃We have located the enemy battle force；〃 the crews' bitter joke ran： 〃Dosvidania； Rodinia！〃 But they were a proud group of professionals。 The attack bombers depended on them…as did their country。
Eight hundred miles north of Iceland； the Badgers altered their course to one…eight…zero； due south at five hundred knots。 They had avoided the still…dangerous Norwegians； and it was not thought that the British would reach this far out。 These air crews kept a nervous watch out their windows nevertheless； their own electronic sensors fully operative and under constant scrutiny。 An attack by tactical fighters against Iceland was expected at any time； and the bomber crews knew that any NATO fighter pilot worthy of his name would instantly jettison his bombload for a chance at air…to…air bat with so helpless a target as a twenty…year…old Badger。 They had reached the end of their useful lives。 Cracks were developing in the wings。 The turbine blades in their jet engines were worn； reducing performance and fuel efficiency。
Two hundred miles behind them； the Backfire bombers were finishing their refueling operations。 The Tu…22Ms had been acpanied by tankers； and； after topping off their tanks； they headed south； slightly west of the Badgers' course track。 With an AS…6 Kingfish missile hanging under each wing； the Backfires； too； were potentially vulnerable； but the Backfire had the ability to run at high Mach numbers and stood a fair chance at survival； even in the face of determined fighter opposition。 Their crews were the elite of Soviet Naval Aviation； well…paid and pampered by Soviet society； their manders had reminded them at the regimental briefings。 Now it was time to deliver。
All three groups of aircraft came south at optimum cruise speed； their flight crews monitoring fuel consumption； engine heat； and many other gauges for the long over…water flight。
USS NIMITZ
Toland stepped outside for a breath of air。 It was a fine morning； the cottonball clouds overhead turning briefly pink from the sunrise。 Saratoga and Foch were visible on the horizon； perhaps eight miles away； their size impressive even at this distance。 Closer in； Ticonderoga was cutting through the five…foot seas； white…painted missiles visible on her twin launchers。 A few blinker lights traded signals。 Otherwise the ships in view were gray shapes without noise； waiting。 Nimitz's deck was covered with aircraft。 F…14 Tomcat interceptors sat everywhere。 Two were hooked up on the midships catapults； only a hundred feet from him； their two…man flight crews dozing。 The fighters carried Phoenix long…range missiles。 The attack bombers carried buddy…store tanks instead of weapons。 They'd be used to refuel the fighters in flight； enabling them to remain aloft an extra two hours。 Deck crewmen in multicolored shirts scurried about； checking and rechecking the aircraft。 The carrier began turning to port； ing around into the westerly wind in preparation for launching aircraft。 He checked his watch。 0558。 Time to get back to CIC。 The carrier would go to general quarters in two minutes。 The intelligence watch officer took one more breath of fresh sea air and wondered if it would be his last。
NORTH ATLANTIC
〃Contact！〃 the technician said over the Bear's interphone。 〃Signals indicate an American airborne radar transmitter； carrier type。〃
〃Give me a bearing！〃 the pilot manded。
〃Patience； rad