Vengeance

72 K-571 KRASNOYARSK

Captain Second Rank Gavriil Novikov leaned over the fire controlman’s shoulder, studying the data fusion display on his console. Krasnoyarsk was thirty miles west of the Strait of Hormuz, having halted its pursuit of the American aircraft carrier. A few miles to the east, a formidable sonobuoy barrier had been laid by several squadrons of P-8A Poseidon submarine-hunting aircraft. With the sonobuoy field on one side of the aircraft carrier and the mined strait on the other, the American warship sailed on a north-and-south track, pacing back and forth as it awaited resolution of its fate.

It would not have to wait long.

Three friendly submerged contacts appeared on the western edge of the fire control fusion plot, heading east toward the aircraft carrier. The Akulas had arrived, ready to execute the plan formulated as they had pursued the carrier east; a new operational message had been received by all four submarines during their last trip to periscope depth.

Novikov had to admit that the tactic he had devised and convinced Russian Fleet leadership to implement was both novel and counterintuitive. Normally, if attempting to penetrate a sonobuoy field, stealth was paramount. The trek through the sonobuoy field would be treacherous, with the submarine attacked and likely sunk if it was detected. To maximize the probability of survival, the crew would shift to the much quieter electric drive and rig the ship for Ultra Quiet. The pace through the sonobuoy field would be slow and tedious, like an animal sneaking up on its prey, moving carefully through the grass until it was close enough to pounce.

The Akulas headed toward the American aircraft carrier, past Krasnoyarsk as Novikov kept his submarine far enough away from the sonobuoys to remain undetected. As the Akulas approached the sonobuoy field, they slowed to ahead one-third, but kept propulsion shifted to the noisier steam-turbine main engines. It would not be long before they would need maximum speed.

The three Russian attack submarines continued east while Novikov moved Krasnoyarsk into position for its part in the plan, ordering his submarine to periscope depth, but keeping the scope lowered to avoid discovery by periscope detection radars.

Krasnoyarsk cruised beneath the water’s surface at five knots, waiting until the Akulas reached the point where they would likely be detected by the sonobuoys. All three Akulas suddenly shifted to ahead flank, beginning a high-speed run through the sonobuoy field.

Turning to his Watch Officer, Novikov ordered him to raise the radar mast. A moment later, after the mast pierced the water’s surface, Krasnoyarsk was ready to execute its part in the plan.

Novikov’s proposal to penetrate the sonobuoy field had flipped traditional tactics on its head. Instead of creeping slowly past the sonobuoys, hoping to avoid detection, the Akulas would travel at maximum speed, not caring whether they were detected or not. They would be attacked, of course, but Krasnoyarsk and its loadout of anti-air missiles had changed the equation. Any attempt to sink the Akulas would be defeated, with HAAWCs launched from the P-8As shot down. Until Krasnoyarsk ran out of anti-air missiles, the Akulas were invincible.

But Krasnoyarsk had only fifteen anti-air missiles remaining, so the Akulas had to penetrate the sonobuoy field quickly and reach the open water beyond, where they could not be tracked until a new sonobuoy field was laid.

As the Akulas approached the sonobuoys, Novikov knew it would not be long before the P-8As, monitoring the sonobuoys as they circled high above, detected the high-speed submerged contacts and sent torpedoes their way.

“Energize the radar,” Novikov ordered.

Krasnoyarsk was now at risk of detection, but was also safe from attack until it ran out of anti-air missiles. Additionally, the P-8A crews would be focused on the Akulas, which were speeding toward the American aircraft carrier.

Not long thereafter, the radar operator reported three new contacts descending toward the Akulas. Novikov launched three anti-air missiles, and the HAAWCs were destroyed before the torpedoes were released. Moments later, another round of HAAWCs were launched, followed by another round shortly afterward.

It was anticlimactic, as the HAAWCs had no defensive measures and no ability to even detect the incoming missiles, and all nine HAAWCs were destroyed. By the time the last mangled HAAWC splashed into the water, the three Akulas had exited the sonobuoy field and traveled beyond its detection range.

It would not be long before the American aircraft carrier was within firing range.