Kalinin donned his gear while the SEALs switched into theirs. The SEALs then detached the engine and began to deflate the RHIB. After verifying his facemask was sealed and his regulator was working, Kalinin slipped into the water with Mendelson. The SEAL kept a firm grasp on Kalinin’s arm, pulling him downward.
Several green glow sticks appeared in the distance and the shadowy shape of a submarine formed in the murky water. They were headed toward two Dry Deck Shelters attached to the submarine’s missile deck. The three-meter-diameter door of the port shelter was open, with two divers waiting nearby. Mendelson guided Kalinin inside, and a few minutes later, the deflated RHIB was hauled into the shelter, joined by the two divers and three SEALs.
The hatch was shut and after the water was drained from the shelter, the SEALs removed their scuba gear, as did Kalinin. Mendelson guided him into the transfer trunk and down through dual hatches into a missile tube, then out through a side hatch, where President Kalinin was greeted by three officers. Kalinin read the name tags on their uniforms.
Lieutenant Commander Haas extended her hand. “Welcome aboard Michigan, President Kalinin.”
The three officers introduced themselves: Kelly Haas was USS Michigan’s Supply Officer, John McNeil was the commanding officer of the SEAL detachment aboard, and Joe Aleo was the physician assigned to Michigan’s SEALs. Captain Wilson, the submarine’s Commanding Officer, was occupied in the Control Room and would meet with him once Michigan was in deeper water.
Mendelson and the other two SEALs followed Kalinin, stepping from the tube into the Missile Compartment. Harrison was the last to exit and he closed the hatch behind him. Kalinin noticed the concerned look on McNeil’s face when only three of the eight SEALs returned. Harrison had informed Michigan that only one RHIB was returning with President Kalinin, but hadn’t provided any details.
Harrison met McNeil’s eyes briefly, then moved past him without a word. As he headed down the passageway, Senior Chief Stone quietly filled McNeil in.
Commander Aleo said to Kalinin, “Let’s get you to medical. I’ll take a look at your ankle and see what I can do, then Commander Haas will get you settled in. You’ll be bunking with our Executive Officer.”
64
USS MICHIGAN
Standing on the submarine’s Conn, Captain Wilson surveyed Michigan’s progress as it traveled toward deeper water. To minimize the time the returning SEALs spent on the surface, vulnerable to attack, Wilson had ventured into shallow water for the rendezvous. But in shallow water, Michigan was also vulnerable, unable to utilize its full depth capability nor employ its most valuable sensor, the towed array. With Michigan traveling in water only two hundred feet deep and its keel only fifty feet above the bottom, the array, which drooped behind the submarine at a slight angle when deployed, had been stowed.
The Control Room watchstanders were quiet and focused. The normal watch rotation had been augmented with additional watchstanders, plus the submarine’s Executive Officer was in Control monitoring the performance of the fire control technicians. A half-hour earlier, Michigan had launched two dozen Tomahawk missiles and the Russians had undoubtedly pinpointed the launch location. It was imperative that Michigan vacate the area quickly.
They were proceeding at fifteen knots. Although the submarine could transit faster, the increased water flow across the submarine’s bow dulled the sensitivity of the spherical array sonar. Wilson didn’t want to blind the ship by traveling too fast, nor did he want to increase Michigan’s detectability due to a higher speed. It was a trade-off — speed versus sonar capability and stealth. At ahead standard it would be about two hours, Wilson figured, before they had cleared the launch point far enough to avoid detection.
The submarine’s Navigator was also in Control, monitoring the transit. With a water depth of only two hundred feet and Michigan occupying almost eighty feet of it from keel to the top of the sail, the submarine was traveling much closer to the bottom than normal. Nautical charts were notoriously inaccurate, and submarines normally traveled with ample distance between the keel and charted bottom depth. Unfortunately, that wasn’t possible at the moment.
The Sonar Supervisor’s voice came across the Conn speakers, interrupting Wilson’s thoughts. “Conn, Sonar. Gained a new contact on the spherical array, bearing three-five-one, designated Sierra two-seven. Analyzing.”
Wilson waited while the two fire control technicians evaluated the contact’s bearings to determine its course, speed, and range. Determining an adequate firing solution with sonar bearings alone could take hours; with only a bearing, they had no idea how far away the contact was, which way it was headed, or how fast it was traveling. The combat control system algorithms assisted, but took time.
Determining the type of contact wasn’t as difficult. Each submarine emitted unique tonals generated by the equipment aboard, such as the main engines, electrical turbines, and pumps, which could be correlated to a specific submarine class.
“Conn, Sonar. Sierra two-seven is classified submerged, Improved Kilo class.”
Wilson turned to the Officer of the Deck. “Man Battle Stations Torpedo.”
65
USS MICHIGAN B-268 VELIKIY NOVGOROD
“Battle Stations are manned.”
Captain Wilson acknowledged the Chief of the Watch’s report. Michigan’s Control Room was now at full manning, as was the rest of the submarine. Wilson had taken the Conn from the Officer of the Deck, which meant he controlled the ship’s course, speed, and depth, and would issue all tactical commands, while Lieutenant Cody retained the Deck, managing the ship’s routine evolutions. Meanwhile, Wilson’s Executive Officer, Lieutenant Commander Patzke, had assumed his role as Fire Control Coordinator.
Patzke focused on developing a firing solution on the contact, which had been identified as an Improved Kilo class, the newest and most capable diesel in the Russian arsenal. When operating on the battery, it was as quiet or quieter than American nuclear-powered submarines. The most important question in Wilson’s mind at the moment was — had the Russian crew detected Michigan. The next report answered that question.
A fire control technician spoke into his sound-powered phone headset. “Possible target zig, Sierra two-seven, based on downshift in frequency.”
The technician was monitoring the time-frequency display on his console, noting the decreasing frequencies. Like listening to an approaching train, the pitch of the train’s horn was higher as it approached, falling off after it passed. This was due to the Doppler effect, with the sound waves compressing if the source was approaching, or expanding if it was moving away. The subtle change in frequency was detectable by the submarine’s sensors, and that change provided valuable information.
Patzke evaluated the frequency change along with the contact’s bearing rate, then announced, “Confirm target zig. Target turned away.”
Michigan had been detected. The Russian captain had halted his approach, turning away in the hope he could avoid counter-detection while his fire control algorithms determined Michigan’s course, speed, and range. Fortunately, Michigan had detected the Kilo’s approach and could take appropriate action.