Flight Of The Old Dog

VANDENBURG AIR FORCE BASE, CAUFOMM

A single green and gray camouflaged locomotive wound around a curve on a deserted railroad siding. It pulled a quarter-mile-long train of long, six-sided rail cars, moving easily at about twenty miles an hour.

Eight miles away in an underground control center, a group of Air Force officers were being briefed by another group of civilian contractors on the test that was about to take place.

"Range reports ready, Mr. Newcombe," a technician said.

Newcombe, the chief civilian contractor, nodded. "Tell them to stand by. General Taylor, gentlemen, the range has just reported ready. All of the Air Force tracking stations from here to Guam are ready for the first operational test launch of America's newest strategic weapon-the GLM- 123 Javelin Small Mobile Intercontinental Ballistic Missile, or, as the press has so fondly christened it, "Midgetman."

"What can I tell you about her that you don't already know?" Newcombe searched the faces around him. Taylor shook his head and smiled, lighting a briar pipe. These Air Force generals had been working with him for years. MajorGeneral Taylor, the chief of the Strategic Development Branch, Aerospace Systems Division, Air Force Logistics Command, was an old friend. This test-its success an almost foregone conclusion, after seven previous successful launches-would ensure Taylor's third star and another promotion. Of course, Newcombe's new position as senior vice-president of the Javelin's prime contractor was already in the bag.

"The train orbiting the test track is typical of a normal Javelin mobile rail deployment," Newcombe asked. "Six cars in all-the locomotive, two missile cars, two security cars, and the launch command and control car. Each car is super hardened against EMP-that's electromagnetic pulse effect, for you neophytes-caused by nearby nuclear explosions.

"The new arms-elimination agreement have you worried, Ed?" one of General Taylor's aides asked Newcombe. "Javelun would be the first to lose research and development funding."

"Of course, we all want to see world peace," Newcombe asked. "The arms-elimination treaty would be a great break through. But I feel it's just as important to continue with serious research and development. This will mark the culmination of those tests-the birth of a new kind of strategic weapon for the United States.

"The Javelin is the most versatile weapon of its kind in the world," Newcombe continued. "Our quick-reaction rail launch test today demonstrates just one possible way it can be deployed; we've done other deployment tests that you won't believe.

"The Javelin is small enough to be carried aloft on cargo aircraft, such as a C-513 or even a modified Boeing 747, Dropped via parachute, an successfullyy air-launched-no silo, no launch vehicle or submarine needed. Versions of the Javelin have successfully accomplished what we've called 'telephone pole' tests. We've rolled a Javelin missile off the deck of a Navy destroyer. In the water, it floated into a perfect upright launch attitude and was successfully fired by remote control.

"Its potential is unlimited. The Javelin has an advantage over other small tactical or strategic nuclear vehicles-despite its small size, the Javelin carries three warheads, not just one or even two. In addition, the Javelin is designed to carry the new maneuverable reentry warhead, which makes the Javelin's business end many times more survivable should the Soviets decide to redeploy antiballistic missile defenses in the future. It might be worth it to replace cruise missiles and gravity weapons with Javelins if the arms-elimination treaty is ratified. "Interested nods from General Taylor-he was already planning on star number four.

Newcombe walked over to a map of the Vandenburg Air Force Base rail test track. "The Javelin missile has been riding Vandenburg's track for only a few hours. In a few moments we'll demonstrate the ability of our Javelin to launch within sixty seconds of a launch order.

"We've 'leaked' it to the Javelin test crew that the launch will be sometime this afternoon. The crew is completely isolated and has no idea that we're about to stage the test.

"When the order is given, the train stops right where it is. A continually-running ring-laser gyro navigation unit instantly feeds position and gyro alignment data to the missile guidance system. By the time the rocket is ready for launch, the erector has raised it to firing position and the crew has authenticated the President's launch order."

Newcombe checked the control panel, then studied the map.

"General, the crew is right… here. "He pointed to the map.

"Eight miles south of our position. We should be able to see the launch after you transmit the launch command. Sir?"

General Taylor stepped forward and glanced at his watch.

"Ten o'clock on the dot," he asked. "Let's do it. "Newcombe directed the general to a large red button mounted on a box on the master control panel. The Air Force general pressed the button, and Newcombe started a clock. Everyone else glanced at his watch.

"If you'll follow me, gentlemen. "General Taylor led the way out of the control room and outside into a large stretch of sand dunes and low scrub trees. Newcombe put the sun on his left shoulder and pointed westward.

"General Taylor's command has alerted the launch crew as well as the tracking and telemetry stations," he explained.

"The rest is simple. While the train comes to a complete stop, the doors of the train open and the missile canister begins to erect. The canister is raised rearward, so the exhaust end of the missile is hanging off the end of the railcar.

"Meanwhile, the crew decodes and authenticates the launch order. All of the missile's internal 'housekeeping' functions are automatic. By the time the crew verifies the message and inserts their launch keys, the missile is ready to go.

Newcombe checked his watch; seventy-five seconds had already elapsed.

He looked up at his military spectators.

"I told you gents this would be a surprise At that instant, a thunderous roar rolled across the dunes.

Several of the spectators, Newcombe included, jumped. All looked southward.

The missile itself could not be seen except as a tiny dark speck, but the half-mile-long tail of flame was clearly visib] from eight miles away The pillar of fire rose, accelerating at unbelievable speed. It felt as if the rocket exhaust was blasting at them from directly overhead.

"A few seconds late, gents," Newcombe said over the slowly receding noise. "But spectacular, eh?" Newcombe pulled out a walkie-talkie.

"Control, this is Newcombe. Pipe the telemetry narrative outside, please."

"Amazing," General Taylor asked. "An intercontinental missile with an eight-thousand-mile range, ready for launch in a little over sixty seconds.

"Javelin at sixty nautical miles altitude, seventy-three miles downrange," the voice of the launch controller reported.

"Expecting first stage burnout in forty seconds. Speed approaching two thousand miles per hour. Altitude now eighty three nautical miles, one hundred seven miles down range…

"Very impressive," General Taylor asked. "A most successful launch.

"The Javelin hasn't begun to perform, General," New combe asked. "We'll begin receiving telemetry from Guam and the Marshall Islands soon.

They'll tell us the progress of the Javelin's warheads. We expect a circular error pattern of not more than a hundred feet.

"One hundred feet!" one of Taylor's aides asked. "After an eight thousand mile flight on a small I.C.B.M?Why, that's-" "Unbelievable, I know. "Newcombe smiled. "Although the Javelin is transportable and deployable in dozens of ways, we haven't just created a mini-I.C.B.M.

The Javelin is just as accurate as the new MX Peacekeeper missile, yet it's one-third the size and one-half the cost."

"Javelin at two hundred seventy-three miles altitude, turning further seaward now at three hundred miles downrange," the controller intoned.

"Successful first stage burnout and second stage ignition. Velocity seven thousand miles per hour.

"Inertial systems functioning well.

"We can listen in on the rest of the launch from the visitor's area," Newcombe asked. "We have champagne ready."

"Minor inertial course correction," the launch controller said. His voice sounded a bit more strained — Newcombe shot a puzzled glance at the loudspeaker, then wiped his face clean and replaced the puzzlement with a broad smile. No one else had noticed the inflection, or they weren't showing it…

"Guam reports tracking Javelin on course. Javelin at four hundred nautical miles altitude, one thousand one hundred miles downrange," the controller reported. Suddenly his reports were coming faster.

"Javelin con — ecting course…

reestablished on course… now correcting course again for premature third-stage ignition… Guam reports loss of tracking and telemetry from Javelin. Mr. Newcombe, to the control center, please."

Newcombe's beeper went off, but he was already running for the command center.

"We have lost the Javelin," the monotonous voice continued. "We have lost the Javelin."