“Zero-six-zero?” Reese suggested.
Buglione nodded. “Course zero-six-zero, ahead standard.”
30
USS PITTSBURGH • K-561 KAZAN
It was quiet in the Control Room as Pittsburgh loitered in its new operating area, awaiting Kazan’s arrival. Commander Buglione sat patiently in the Captain’s chair on the Conn, his eyes occasionally shifting to the geographic plot on the nearest combat control console.
Buglione was confident Pittsburgh was well positioned to detect Kazan as it completed its transit through the GIUK Gap, but there was no guarantee they would detect the Russian submarine. After all, during their last trail, Kazan had vanished from the sonar screens, just before Pittsburgh almost smashed into the iceberg.
It was obvious that Kazan had shifted its equipment lineup, eliminating the tonals they had been tracking. During Pittsburgh’s high-speed transit to the west side of the Gap, Buglione had directed Sonar to analyze the data when Kazan’s tonals had disappeared. During the detailed analysis, Sonar had identified a weak tonal that had remained after the lineup shift, one they hadn’t been tracking due to the presence of stronger frequencies emitted by the Russian submarine. If Kazan shifted its lineup again, Sonar would shift its trackers in response.
Buglione’s thoughts were interrupted by Sonar’s report. “Conn, Sonar. Gained a fifty Hertz tonal on the towed array, designated Sierra seven-four, ambiguous bearings of zero-eight-zero and two-eight-zero. Analyzing.”
Lieutenant Bob Martin, on watch as Officer of the Deck again, acknowledged Sonar’s report, then approached Buglione. “Captain, I intend to maneuver to resolve bearing ambiguity.”
“Very well,” Buglione acknowledged, although he was certain the new contact was to the east. A bearing of zero-eight-zero was close to where they expected Kazan to pass through the Gap.
“Helm, right full rudder, steady course north,” Martin ordered.
As Pittsburgh swung toward its new course, Sonar provided an update.
“Conn, Sonar. Sierra seven-four is classified submerged. Hold additional tonals correlating to Russian Yasen class.”
Buglione addressed Lieutenant Martin. “Station the Fire Control Tracking Party.”
The order went out and personnel streamed into the Control Room, manning the dormant consoles.
Once the Fire Control Tracking Party was fully manned, Buglione announced, “Sierra seven-four has been classified Yasen class submarine and is our target of interest. Designate Sierra seven-four as Master one. Track Master one.”
The towed array’s bearing ambiguity was quickly resolved, and Buglione’s crew determined that Master one was to the east, headed southwest at fifteen knots.
Buglione, who was now stationed as Pittsburgh’s Conning Officer, evaluated the geographic plot. Kazan was traveling past Pittsburgh, apparently oblivious to the presence of the American submarine. Buglione ordered Pittsburgh to swing around and fall in behind the Russian submarine.
“Helm, right full rudder, steady course two-zero-zero.”
Pittsburgh angled in behind Kazan, arriving at the desired trailing position a few thousand yards behind, and offset to starboard so their towed array had a clear view of the Russian submarine. It was time to match Kazan’s speed and course, following her until relieved by another NATO submarine.
“Helm, ahead standard,” Buglione ordered. “Right ten degrees rudder, steady course two-four-zero.”
Even though things had gone smoothly thus far, Buglione decided to leave the Fire Control Tracking Party stationed for a few hours in case Pittsburgh had been counter-detected and the Russian submarine captain attempted to break trail.
As Pittsburgh steadied at fifteen knots, matching Kazan’s course and speed, Buglione settled into his chair on the Conn, preparing for a potentially long and hopefully uneventful trail.
“Hydroacoustic, Command Post. Report all contacts.”
In Kazan’s Central Command Post, Captain First Rank Aleksandr Plecas stopped in front of the hydroacoustic display, searching for patterns within the random specks.
In the Barents Sea, it appeared they had shaken the American submarine from its trail. But as Kazan completed its run through the GIUK Gap, it was vulnerable. If there was a possibility they would be detected and trailed by another NATO submarine, they’d pick up Kazan here.
Plecas was joined by his Watch Officer, Captain Lieutenant Ivan Urnovitz, at the hydroacoustic display, along with the submarine’s First Officer, Captain Third Rank Erik Fedorov. As the three men examined the monitor, a narrow vertical bar rose from the bottom of the display. The Hydroacoustic Party Leader’s report arrived a moment later.
“Command Post, Hydroacoustic. Hold a new contact on the towed array, a sixty-point-two Hertz tonal, designated Hydroacoustic two-one, ambiguous bearings two-six-zero and two-two-zero. Sixty-point-two Hertz frequency correlates to an American submarine.”
The two watchstanders at their fire control consoles adjusted the contact’s parameters — course, speed, and range — and slowly converged on identical solutions. The American submarine had fallen in behind Kazan, trailing them in their starboard quarter five thousand yards away.
They needed to break trail again, and Plecas evaluated his options. Shifting to the electric drive in the Barents Sea had been successful, but if this was the same American submarine, they might not be able to slip away. The American crew would respond faster than before, closing range quickly to gain other tonals. However, there was only one way to find out if the evasion would be successful.
“Attention, all stations,” Plecas announced. “An American submarine has gained trail on us again. We will attempt to evade covertly, giving the Americans no indication they have been counter-detected. If that fails, we will execute an overt evasion using acoustic countermeasures.”
Plecas ordered his Watch Officer, “Shift to electric drive and turn ninety degrees to port.”
Captain Lieutenant Urnovitz issued the first order. “Steersman, shift to electric drive.”
The Steersman complied, sending the order to the Engine Room, and he soon announced, “Propulsion has been shifted to the electric drive. Making ten knots.”
Urnovitz responded, “Steersman, left full rudder, steady course one-five-zero.”
“Conn, Sonar. Loss of primary tonal, Master one. Shifting tracker alpha to secondary tonal.”
Buglione stood and examined the sonar display on the Conn. The dominant fifty Hertz and associated frequencies had disappeared, but a weak three-hundred Hertz tonal remained.