"The Arkhangel task force will soon open the high-speed air-attack lane around the Nimitz carrier force," Khromeyev went on. "This lane will provide a relatively clear path for our Sukhoi-24 carrier-based fighter bombers to transit the American fleet and reinforce the Brezhnev carrier group in the Persian Gulf. We are expecting—"
"Stop," the general secretary broke in. "What is all this about a 'relatively clear' air attack lane? I want to know about the damned Nimitz. It's still blocking the Strait of Hormuz, isn't it? Why aren't we launching another attack on the Nimitz? Why don't we have control of the Arabian Sea? Why can't we bring the Arkhangel carrier group through to the Gulf of Oman? Why?"
"We have not sufficiently reduced the American forces to allow our vessels to pass," Admiral Chercherovin said. "Sir, it will take time—"
"How much have we reduced the American forces? How many ships have we sunk?"
Chercherovin's silence said it all. "None? We've sunk none?"
"The conflict has not progressed far enough where the surface combatants are in direct conflict," Minister of Defense Czilikov put in. "That is a phase of battle still a few days away. The battle is being fought in the air, with our aircraft winning the ships' right to move forward…"
"And we have inflicted heavy damage on some American vessels," Chercherovin added. "Our AS-12 missiles are very effective against the older American search-and-tracking radars. Once their guided-missile cruisers are made ineffective our bombers can clear a path for the Arkhangel group to pass—"
"You seem fixed on this idea that we are conducting this latest offensive merely to let the Arkhangel pass into the Persian Gulf, Admiral," the general secretary said. "That is not our goal.. Our goal is to remove the Nimitz carrier group as a presence in the Persian Gulf area. If necessary I want the Nimitz and all her escorts blown out of the water… I believe that's the phrase you people use. Well, is that clear, Admiral?"
"Yes, sir," Chercherovin said, literally feeling the heat. The Soviet commander in chief turned to the other Stavka members. "All right," he said, "let's get the rest of the bad news out in the open. What about our losses?"
"Principal surface combatant losses are still zero," Khromeyev quickly put in. "Damage has been reported aboard five vessels, all due to antiradiation missile attacks. The Krivak-class frigate Karamarov was seriously damaged but is still under way. Aircraft losses reported from Arkhangel are eighteen Sukhoi-27 fighters, three Kamov-27 anti-submarine warfare—"
"Eighteen fighters," the general secretary said. "In two days we have lost eighteen fighters from the Arkhangel? How many were on it to begin with?"
"Seventy-four."
"We have lost one-fourth of our carrier-based fighters? How?" He turned to Chercherovin. "The Arkhangel was supposed to be the ultimate weapon, Chercherovin. So far it has been damn near worthless "
"That is not true, sit," the admiral said quickly. "Our losses have been higher than anticipated because the Americans apparently aren't concerned about the dangers of escalating this conflict into a major confrontation. The Nimitz group should have pulled back from the Persian Gulf area — instead, it has not only blocked the sea lane but has used force to repel any overflight of the area—"
"Admiral, what is the problem here?… We should be the ones willing to engage the enemy whatever the cost. We should be taking the battle to them. Instead we're being pushed around the Arabian Sea by a much inferior force." He glanced at Czilikov, anticipating a response. When none came he added, "I think it's time a younger, more aggressive admiral take charge of the Arabian Sea flotilla."
Admiral Chercherovin quickly scanned the room, searching for supporters. No one said a word. Not even Czilikov. Then the admiral looked to Alesander Govorov. "I think we should first ask Marshal Govorov the status of the American military space station. That station he supposedly crippled has obviously increased the Americans' ability to repel our attacks these past two days."
The general secretary understood Chercherovin was trying to shift the blame, though the admiral did have a point. He gave Chercherovin a look that told him he wouldn't get off this easily, then turned to Govorov. "Military intelligence has reported that the Armstrong space-based radar is operational again. Satellite relay signals suggest that the station is warning American vessels of attack and directing attacks against our forces. Is it possible?"
"Yes, sir, it is. I was mistaken in my damage estimates. We carried only twenty nonexplosive missiles on our first attack, and Colonel Voloshin was lost before expending all his missiles. In my rush to search for Voloshin I depleted my fuel reserves and had to withdraw from the attack before all missiles were directed on the station. The damage estimates on each station subsystem were accurate—"
"Govorov, I respect you. At least you aren't making stupid excuses, although it seems you made some stupid, or at least unwise decisions. Concern for a comrade is admirable, but there are times when difficult decisions need to be made. You left the job half finished. And more than one man has suffered for it. Well, do you have any thoughts about what you can do to make some amends?"
At that moment Govorov was easily the most resented man in that room. And he understood the general secretary's indulgence was a double-edged sword. He was being given a second chance — partly at least because he was still the most qualified man to do what had to be done. But he also understood if he should fail again, it would be better for him if he didn't come back.
"Sir, I propose to lead another attack on the space station — to complete what I should have finished the first time." He turned to include the other Stavka members. "The way I see it, the attack will be preceded by a chemical-laser barrage from Sary Shagan Research Facility against the new American Air Force geosynchronous surveillance satellite over the Indian Ocean. The laser will keep firing at the satellite while the space station Armstrong is on the opposite side of the earth, until we can be sure that the satellite has been neutralized or knocked out of its orbit. This will insure that our launch from Tyuratam will go undetected. Ground-tracking stations will find it difficult to track us without first knowing our launch point or orbital insertion point, so the space station Armstrong can receive no advance warning of our attack…
"The attack will again be made by armed Elektron spaceplanes launched from Glowing Star Launch Facility at Tyuratam, but this time there will be three Elektron spaceplanes instead of two. My two wingmen will each carry ten Bavinash missiles aboard each spaceplane, which have been modified with forty-kilogram high-explosive warheads instead of depleted uranium and molybdenum armor-piercing nosecaps. The objective of my two wingmen will be to disable the Armstrong's space-based radar system, station propulsion and any defensive armaments.
"My Elektron will carry a far more important cargo, sir. The Scimitar missiles cannot destroy such a large station as Armstrong, and our spaceplanes cannot drag the station into the atmosphere. Therefore I will carry a two-thousand-kilogram space-reactive bomb into orbit. The bomb uses a chemical reaction to provide the heat and the power to mix a large volume of hydrogen and oxygen gas together in a compressed chamber that will produce the power of over two tons of TNT in the vacuum of space. When Armstrong's defenses have been neutralized I will fly to the station, plant the explosive on it, then detonate it once my wingmen and I are away… On my first mission I took it on myself to slow my attack to allow the station's crew to evacuate the station. I don't apologize for my intent. But I also understand that it gave the Americans time to build a defense that ended in the death of Colonel Voloshin. By returning to their station and reactivating their offensive surveillance and warning systems, the Americans have shown that they don't consider our spaceplane force a threat. So this time my attack will begin immediately. And this time I will destroy that station."