Novikov had to admit that the tactic he had devised and convinced Russian Fleet leadership to implement was both novel and counterintuitive. Normally, if attempting to penetrate a sonobuoy field, stealth was paramount. The trek through the sonobuoy field would be treacherous, with the submarine attacked and likely sunk if it was detected. To maximize the probability of survival, the crew would shift to the much quieter electric drive and rig the ship for Ultra Quiet. The pace through the sonobuoy field would be slow and tedious, like an animal sneaking up on its prey, moving carefully through the grass until it was close enough to pounce.
The Akulas headed toward the American aircraft carrier, past Krasnoyarsk as Novikov kept his submarine far enough away from the sonobuoys to remain undetected. As the Akulas approached the sonobuoy field, they slowed to ahead one-third, but kept propulsion shifted to the noisier steam-turbine main engines. It would not be long before they would need maximum speed.
The three Russian attack submarines continued east while Novikov moved Krasnoyarsk into position for its part in the plan, ordering his submarine to periscope depth, but keeping the scope lowered to avoid discovery by periscope detection radars.
Krasnoyarsk cruised beneath the water’s surface at five knots, waiting until the Akulas reached the point where they would likely be detected by the sonobuoys. All three Akulas suddenly shifted to ahead flank, beginning a high-speed run through the sonobuoy field.
Turning to his Watch Officer, Novikov ordered him to raise the radar mast. A moment later, after the mast pierced the water’s surface, Krasnoyarsk was ready to execute its part in the plan.
Novikov’s proposal to penetrate the sonobuoy field had flipped traditional tactics on its head. Instead of creeping slowly past the sonobuoys, hoping to avoid detection, the Akulas would travel at maximum speed, not caring whether they were detected or not. They would be attacked, of course, but Krasnoyarsk and its loadout of anti-air missiles had changed the equation. Any attempt to sink the Akulas would be defeated, with HAAWCs launched from the P-8As shot down. Until Krasnoyarsk ran out of anti-air missiles, the Akulas were invincible.
But Krasnoyarsk had only fifteen anti-air missiles remaining, so the Akulas had to penetrate the sonobuoy field quickly and reach the open water beyond, where they could not be tracked until a new sonobuoy field was laid.
As the Akulas approached the sonobuoys, Novikov knew it would not be long before the P-8As, monitoring the sonobuoys as they circled high above, detected the high-speed submerged contacts and sent torpedoes their way.
“Energize the radar,” Novikov ordered.
Krasnoyarsk was now at risk of detection, but was also safe from attack until it ran out of anti-air missiles. Additionally, the P-8A crews would be focused on the Akulas, which were speeding toward the American aircraft carrier.
Not long thereafter, the radar operator reported three new contacts descending toward the Akulas. Novikov launched three anti-air missiles, and the HAAWCs were destroyed before the torpedoes were released. Moments later, another round of HAAWCs were launched, followed by another round shortly afterward.
It was anticlimactic, as the HAAWCs had no defensive measures and no ability to even detect the incoming missiles, and all nine HAAWCs were destroyed. By the time the last mangled HAAWC splashed into the water, the three Akulas had exited the sonobuoy field and traveled beyond its detection range.
It would not be long before the American aircraft carrier was within firing range.
73
USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT
On Theodore Roosevelt’s Bridge in the ship’s Island superstructure, Captain Ryan Noss had watched in dismay as three consecutive rounds of HAAWCs were shot down, their remnants splashing into the ocean. The three approaching Russian submarines, classified as Akula by the P-8A crews monitoring their sonobuoys, had now cleared the buoy field and were beyond detection range. The submarines had undoubtedly changed course after speeding past the buoys, so the P-8As now had no target solution to guide additional HAAWCs toward the approaching threats.
The P-8As were busy laying another layer of sonobuoys closer to the carrier, and Noss watched as the buoys splashed into the sea, but it likely wouldn’t matter. The Akulas would be within firing range before the area was sufficiently populated with buoys.
Noss turned to his Officer of the Deck, ordering him to turn east, bringing the ship as close to the minefield as possible, buying a few more minutes as the Akulas closed on their target.
The ASW commander apparently had come to the same conclusion — that the sonobuoy fields wouldn’t be populated fast enough — and Noss listened to the speaker on the Bridge as the ASW commander ordered a half-dozen MH-60Rs aloft. Since the helicopters had proven quite vulnerable to the anti-air missiles, they had been held in reserve, with the ASW commander depending instead on the P-8As, which flew at an altitude beyond the range of the Russian missiles.
However, with the P-8As temporarily ineffective, the MH-60Rs were being pressed into action. Many, if not all, of the anti-submarine helicopters would be shot down, but hopefully the Russian guided missile submarine would run out of missiles before the carrier ran out of helicopters, and three MH-60Rs would survive long enough to detect and kill the approaching Akulas.
Noss felt the carrier banking to starboard as it commenced a turn to the north. They had traveled east as far as possible, with the minefield less than two thousand yards away.
There was nowhere else to run to.
74
USS MISSISSIPPI
Five thousand yards east of the minefield stretching across the Strait of Hormuz, the fast attack submarine USS Mississippi loitered at periscope depth at the northern end of the Gulf of Oman. In the Virginia-class submarine’s Control Room, Commander Brad Waller was seated in the Captain’s chair waiting for a path to be cleared through the mines, monitoring the situation as additional messages were downloaded from the Radio broadcast. To the west were five more fast attack submarines, waiting in line behind Mississippi for their turn through the minefield. Not far from the strait in the Arabian Sea, specialized mine-clearing ships were en route, but were still over a day’s journey away.
Two weeks ago, Mississippi had been stationed near Vladivostok, monitoring Russian Pacific Fleet activity, when several nuclear-powered submarines had sortied from the Russian port. Waller had latched onto the first one, trailing it as it journeyed southwest before losing track of the submarine in the busy Malaysian shipping traffic. Disappointed in their performance, Waller and his crew had been given a second chance, waiting to come to Theodore Roosevelt’s aid. The only thing standing in the way was the minefield blocking the strait.
Waller stood and stretched his legs, surveying the Control Room watchstanders. Only a third of the consoles were manned. He had maintained his crew in a normal watch rotation, waiting to shift to Battle Stations once the minefield was cleared, hoping to keep his crew fresh for the tense battle likely ahead.
“Conn, Radio.” The report emanating from the Control Room speakers broke Waller from his thoughts. “New intel message received. Mine clearing is almost complete. Only six more mines to go.”