The Bin Laden Plot

60 USS MICHIGAN

Standing on the Conn of the Ohio class guided missile submarine, Lieutenant Brittany Kern surveyed the watchstanders on duty in the Control Room, pausing to examine the navigation parameters:

Above Michigan, restricted to a depth of four hundred feet, Jimmy Carter matched Michigan’s course and speed as the two submarines operated in tandem. Michigan would soon come shallow, however, venturing into Jimmy Carter’s realm. Michigan had just entered one of its stovepipes, a circular area that Jimmy Carter was prohibited from entering, letting Michigan rise toward the surface without any risk of running into the attack submarine.

Just outside the stovepipe, Jimmy Carter was also preparing to head to periscope depth, with the submarine crews syncing their trips to copy the radio broadcast so both would receive message updates at the same time.

Kern’s eyes shifted to the red digital clock. It was 8:40 p.m., and with the Captain’s night orders directing her to download the broadcast at 9 p.m., it was time to begin preparations. The sun had set an hour earlier over the Middle East, and it would take time for Kern’s eyes to adjust to the darkness.

“Quartermaster, rig Control for gray.”

The bright Control Room lights were extinguished, leaving only a few low-level lights. Kern reached up, activating the microphone on the Conn.

“All stations, Conn. Make preparations to proceed to periscope depth.”

Sonar, Radio, and the Quartermaster acknowledged, and the Electronic Surveillance Measures watch was manned.

After waiting several minutes, giving Sonar time to adjust their equipment lineup and complete a detailed search, Kern ordered, “Sonar, Conn. Report all contacts.”

Sonar acknowledged and reported several contacts, none within ten thousand yards.

Kern called out, “Rig Control for black.”

The lights in the Control Room were extinguished, leaving only the faint multicolor indications on the submarine’s control panels and the red digital navigation repeaters glowing in the darkness. Kern adjusted the sonar display on the Conn, reducing its brightness to the minimum. Reaching up, she pulled the microphone from its holder and punched the button for the Captain’s stateroom. “Captain, Officer of the Deck.”

Murray Wilson answered, “Captain.”

Kern delivered the required report, to which Wilson replied, “I’ll be right there.”

Wilson entered the Control Room and joined Kern on the Conn, settling into the Captain’s chair on the starboard side. After reviewing the sonar display and the submarine’s parameters, Wilson said, “Proceed to periscope depth.”

Kern reached up in the darkness and twisted the port periscope locking ring. The barrel slid silently up through the submarine’s sail, and Kern folded the periscope handles down as the scope emerged from its well, then placed her right eye against the eyepiece.

“Helm, ahead one-third. Dive, make your depth eight-zero feet. All stations, Conn. Proceeding to periscope depth.”

The Helm rang up ahead one-third on the Engine Order Telegraph as the Diving Officer directed his planesmen, “Ten up. Full rise, fairwater planes.”

As Michigan rose toward the surface, silence descended on Control aside from the occasional depth reports from the Diving Officer.

“Passing one hundred feet.”

The Diving Officer reported the submarine’s depth change in ten-foot increments until the periscope broke the ocean’s surface. Kern began circling, completing a revolution every eight seconds, scanning the darkness for nearby ships. She spotted only two faint white lights to the west.

“No close contacts!”

Conversation in Control resumed, now that Michigan was safely at periscope depth, and Kern slowed her rotation, periodically shifting the scope to high power for long-range scans.

The Quartermaster announced, “Conn, Nav. GPS fix obtained.”

A moment later, Radio followed up. “Conn, Radio. Download complete.”

Kern announced, “All stations, Conn. Going deep. Helm, ahead two-thirds. Dive, make your depth one-eight-zero feet.”

The Helm and Diving Officer acknowledged, and Michigan tilted downward. After the periscope slid beneath the ocean waves, Kern lowered the scope back into its well.

“Rig Control for gray,” she announced, and the low-level lights flicked on.

A few minutes later, as Kern ordered the Control Room rigged for white, a radioman entered with a message clipboard in hand. Captain Wilson flipped through the messages: all but two were routine traffic. Michigan had received a new waterspace management message, along with new operational orders.

Wilson studied the OPORD, noting the complexity and urgency of the mission: eleven hours to get into position and sink a merchant escorted by Russian warships. Additional information would arrive SEPCOR — via separate correspondence. Wilson also noted the unique tandem arrangement with Jimmy Carter, which Wilson assumed had just received new orders as well. Sonar’s next report confirmed his assessment.

“Conn, Sonar. Detect burst of cavitation from Jimmy Carter. Down doppler. She’s increasing speed and turning to the northeast.”

Wilson called the Messenger of the Watch over to the Conn.

“Round up all officers. There will be a meeting in the Wardroom in fifteen minutes.”

To his Officer of the Deck, Wilson ordered, “Come down to six hundred feet, course zero-seven-zero. Increase speed to ahead flank.”