Aboard the Boeing 747-400 YAL-IA 40,000 feet over the Southern Indian Ocean Antarctic Circle
The Boeing 747 jumbo freight jet, known as the YAL-1A, is one of the most unusual aircraft in the world. Designed and developed by the United States Air Force, Boeing, TRW Space and Electronics Group, and Lockheed Martin Missiles and Space, the wide-bodied aircraft serves as the platform for the Airborne Laser, a tactical weapon designed to track and intercept theater ballistic missiles.
Invented by Phillips Lab back in 1977, the Chemical Oxygen Iodine Laser (COIL) on board the YAL-1A is fueled by hydrogen peroxide and potassium hydroxide, the same chemicals found in hair bleach and Drano. Combined with chlorine gas and water, it produces an excited form of oxygen called Singlet Delta Oxygen (SDO). Iodine is injected into the SDO, further agitating the mix. As the atoms are excited to a semistable state, the light emitted by the atoms increases in intensity as it oscillates back and forth between the weapon’s mirrors. The result—a laser beam, operating at an infrared wavelength of 1.315 microns, invisible to the naked eye.
General Mike Jackson stands behind the row of men seated within the Command Center. The Bear’s heart pounds in his ears, his nostrils flaring with each adrenaline-enhanced breath.
“I’ve got a contact,” the radar technician calls out. “Latitude: 71.6 degrees south. Longitude: 59.05 degrees east—”
“Got ’em,” responds another technician, a baby-faced officer who seems far too young to Jackson. “Baby face” is stationed at the infrared terminal, a tracking system with an advanced infrared focal plane for detecting missile plumes. “Designating first contact Romeo-1—”
“I’ve got two more … and a fourth—”
Bear feels his legs trembling. Millions of lives hang in the balance, perhaps the future of humanity … everything depending upon a 900-million-dollar aircraft and a multimegawatt laser that has never been tested under this type of severe atmospheric conditions.
Jackson knows the key obstacle in perfecting the Airborne Laser has been the atmospheric turbulence produced by fluctuations in air temperature, the same phenomenon responsible for causing the stars to twinkle. Atmospheric turbulence weakens and scatters the laser’s beam. Although the YAL-1A has been equipped with special mirrors designed to compensate for the disturbance, the Airborne Laser is too new to have been tested in all weather conditions.
And Antarctica’s are the absolute worst in the world.
“Sir, Romeos 1 through 8 have entered boost phase. IRST (Infrared Search and Track) system has locked on to all eight targets.”
The massive generator comes to life within the cargo area of the modified 747 jet.
“Ignite the laser,” Colonel Udelsman orders.
“Igniting laser, aye, sir. Targeting Romeo-1”
Bear can actually feel the power of the illuminating laser beacon in his bones as it travels the length of the jumbo jet and floods the plane’s nose cone with energy. A sudden, almost surreal thought—if we miss, I may die, too …
From the proboscis-shaped, nose-mounted turret of the 747-400 freighter, an invisible beam of energy crosses the brisk Antarctic sky at the speed of light—
—planting its lethal, scorching kiss upon the graphite epoxy hull of the first Trident II (D5) nuclear missile.
The laser beam instantly melts a hole in the projectile’s thin skin, igniting the SLBM’s solid rocket fuel into a blazing fireball. The mangled hunk of metal, circuitry, and plutonium lofts high in incandescent splendor before dropping harmless from the sky.
“Sir, Romeo-1 is dead. Targeting Romeo-2.”
General Jackson expels a nerve-induced, gut-wrenching roar of approval, thrusting his casted fists high in the air as the YAL-1A spits out seven more beams, sending seven more fireballs, fireworks, and incandescent shards plummeting toward the frozen Antarctic sea.
Aboard the USS Virginia
The USS Virginia (SSN-774) and her sister ships, USS Texas (SSN-775), and USS Hawaii (SSN-776) represent the United States Navy’s newest class of attack subs, each of these 1.6-billion-dollar stealth ships producing only 10 percent of the noise of Los Angeles-class workhorse vessels like the Scranton.
Much of the Virginia-class’s technology was ultimately incorporated into the design of the Goliath. From her pump-jet propulsor engine and advanced stealth technology to her Photonics Mast, (replacing the periscope), the Virginia-class was intended to be the last of the Navy’s manned attack subs, giving way to unmanned, remotely operated vessels like the Goliath. As a first step in reducing the number of crewmen required on board, the Virginia was outfitted with more computing power than all sixty-five Los Angeles-class and Seawolf-class attack submarines combined. Only the Goliath and Colossus possess more computing power, with Sorceress’s nanotechnology and biochemical brain altering the playing field, dwarfing even its own sister ship’s advanced computing capabilities by an unfathomable million to one.
Unlike the Colossus, the Virginia’s control room is an airy, wide-open, brightly lit attack center, its layout dominated by rows of large-screen color displays and high-tech workstations. Housed along the portside wall is a row of seven immense sonar stations sporting advanced ergonomic consoles. At the center of the compartment is a computerized navigation station, replacing the two antiquated-looking tables and charts still used on board Los Angeles-class attack subs like the Scranton. Ahead, mounted catercorner, are two big screens providing a periscopeless view of the east and west horizons. Two ship control stations are located between these forward screens, with Combat Control on the starboard wall, along with ESM and the sub’s radio room.
Emotions on board the USS Virginia are running high, every submariner’s heart racing, every man’s blood pressure soaring as their CO, Captain Christopher Parker, addresses them over the 1-MC.
“NORAD confirms the eight SLBM’s were Trident II (D5) nuclear missiles. Although the attempt failed, we clearly got lucky. The laser plane can only acquire and track missiles in their boost phase, and has a maximum range of three hundred miles. Naval Intelligence reports the Goliath has at least eight more Tridents on board that we know of. They believe, as do I, that Simon Covah will head for open waters in an attempt to lose the Laser Plane before launching his next volley of missiles. Virginia is the only vessel preventing Covah’s escape to the east. If he makes it past us, then it may be impossible for the Navy to relocate the Goliath again. Should Covah launch in the North Atlantic, those Tridents could strike any city in the continental United States. Our orders, gentlemen, are to make sure that doesn’t happen.” 11
Grunts from the crew. Parker’s men are primed for battle, exuding an adrenaline-enhanced air of confidence bordering on arrogance. Despite Goliath’s advantages, to the Virginia’s officers and crew, their ship is the top predator in the ocean, a stealthy attack sub excelling in every phase of combat, maintaining an acoustic sensor suite second to none. Unlike its older cousin, the Scranton, the Virginia can “see” its enemy when it moves through the labyrinth of ice and sea that has become the Antarctic. Like the Goliath, the Virginia possesses antitorpedo torpedoes to defend itself, and the weaponry to hunt and kill any adversary on the open seas.