“And I can’t decide how I’ll make my approach until I see how we’re going to make the attack.”
Gabriel grinned. “We’ve made a lot of progress with that.” He pressed a key, and the slide shifted to show an acoustic target transponder beacon. The two submariners had explained the device to Cavanaugh that afternoon. The navy used them in torpedo tests and in live fire exercises when they wanted a torpedo to home in on a particular target.
The commander explained, “We’ve arranged to fly in every beacon in the Navy’s inventory from Norfolk, Bangor, and San Diego. They should arrive in Groton late tomorrow. Counting the beacons already in storage in Groton, that will give us eighteen. Captain Weiss, these weigh about ten pounds each. They’re cylindrical in shape with a length of fourteen and a half inches and a diameter of three and a half inches. How many do you think each UUV could carry?”
Weiss looked thoughtful. “The vehicles have a small cargo module that can carry a total weight of one hundred and fifty pounds. So weight won’t be an issue. The trick will be packing the beacons into the existing deployment tubes we currently use for the deep-water positioning beacons. The two beacons are similar in size, more or less. I’d say four, maybe as many as six if we get creative.”
Cavanaugh saw LCDR Forest making notes. Gabriel continued, “The beacons are built with a transponder mode that transmits a frequency-shifted chirp. We can set it up so each beacon will respond to a particular torpedo, and that torpedo will only home in on that beacon.”
Carter’s skipper nodded understanding, and looked a little relieved. “I like the transponder idea. It won’t make any noise until the torpedo goes active, which will be at short range. The Russians would almost certainly detect the beacons if they just started pinging as soon as they were planted. The less warning time the Russians have, the better.”
Gabriel nodded agreement, but he wasn’t smiling. “That’s true, Captain, but we can’t depend on the Russians being complacent. We’ll have to use the UUVs to first scan the perimeter, then we need to get a good look at the facility so we can see how the launcher is laid out.”
“We have no idea what it looks like?” Weiss was asking Gabriel, but he looked at the others as well, almost begging someone to say he was mistaken.
“Captain, the only way we even know where the facility is located is because we know the locations of the ships supporting the construction. We’re reasonably sure that the launch facility will be within a hundred yards of the location Toledo provided.”
“So we will preload the UUVs with beacons, send them out to do a reconnaissance, and then…” Weiss trailed off.
Gabriel explained, “Once we know what the facility looks like, you figure out the best spots for the beacons, and then drive the UUVs to each location. After the last beacon is in place, the vehicles can head back to the sub, and you commence launching torpedoes.”
“It’s better if the UUVs stand off and watch,” Weiss replied. “That way we can get a real-time battle-damage assessment. If we need to set more beacons, the UUVs will already be in the neighborhood.”
“Good point,” Gabriel responded. Forest took some more notes.
The lieutenant commander asked, “Captain, how far away can you control the UUVs?”
“Six thousand yards, maybe eight, in good conditions. It was pretty noisy up there, and my controllers had problems with anything over five thousand yards.”
“Which means you’ll have to get through the minefield,” Gabriel concluded. “We were pretty sure of that, and neither of us could figure a way to program the UUVs without bringing them all the way back to Carter after they scout the target.”
Carter’s skipper and the president both shook their heads at the idea. “They don’t have to come all the way back,” Weiss replied. “They just have to get close enough for us to communicate reliably with them.
“We can also use the vehicles to place small neutralization charges on some of the mines.” Weiss sounded confident. “My crew has actually practiced that in the simulators, and we know exactly what type of mine the Russians laid.”
“We budgeted time for that in the plan,” Gabriel added. “Still, the torpedoes have a range of ten miles at high speed. If we could operate the UUVs at a greater distance, Carter herself would never have to enter Russian territorial waters.”
Hardy cut in. “I think the subtle difference would be lost on Moscow.”
“I’m comfortable with making a gap in the minefield and taking Carter inside if we need to, but I can see if my crew can boost the communication range while keeping us covert,” Weiss decided. “The biggest unknown is how long it will take to reconnoiter the place and how many beacons to use, as well as where we’re supposed put them. Have you put together any guidance for us on how to do that?”
Gabriel nodded. “That’s what we have Dr. Cavanaugh for. Go ahead, Doctor,” he urged the civilian.
Cavanaugh had not expected to be briefing the president that afternoon. Especially after working nearly thirty-six hours with little time for rest or basic cleanliness. He suppressed his nervousness by focusing on the numbers. “I’ve calculated the optimum and maximum distance at which a Mark 48 warhead will completely wreck the steel launch tubes. We investigated using two torpedoes homing on the same beacon, or two beacons next to each other, but that wasn’t reliable. There are many possible layouts the Russians could use, and I’m halfway through writing guidance…”
Hardy interrupted. “How confident are you of these possible layouts?”
Cavanaugh shrugged. “They’re all likely, Mr. President, and I can’t say it’s exhaustive. There are many different possible configurations, depending on what assumptions—”
“That’s what I thought,” the president intruded. Turning to Carter’s captain, Hardy asked, “Captain Weiss, do you have any issues with letting Dr. Cavanaugh ride with you?”
“None at all, Mr. President. We’ve plenty of space. He’d be our honored guest.”
Everyone was looking at Hardy; some with amusement, others were perplexed. Cavanaugh swallowed hard. The only submarine he’d ever been aboard was at the Nautilus museum in New London. In his line of work, he’d done his best to avoid being in the water at the same time as something that was going to explode.
It wasn’t being aboard a submarine that gave him pause. It was being aboard a submarine that was going to attack Russia — after navigating a minefield. But they would only get one shot at this, and Cavanaugh wanted it to work as much as anyone.
“I can do it, Mr. President,” he answered, feeling awkward and pretentious, and trying to sound confident. “I’ll have to get Mrs. Gray to look after my cats,” he added, thinking out loud.
Hardy nodded. “Problem solved. Don’t worry, Doctor. The food is great, and you’ll love the Bluenose ceremony.” The president smiled broadly.
Cavanaugh nodded silently, not wanting to confess he’d never heard of it. He saw LCDR Forest making more notes, and then started a list of his own.
Gabriel stepped away from the podium. “That’s all I have.”
Weiss said, “Then I should go over the voyage plan Commander Gabriel has put together. I’d like to get back to Groton as soon as possible. Tonight, if it can be arranged.”
“Definitely,” Hardy answered. “If those beacons are arriving late tomorrow, how quickly can you be ready to sail after that?”