Kirov Saga: Armageddon (Kirov Series) by Schettler John

Author:Schettler, John [Schettler, John]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Writing Shop Press
Published: 2013-10-07T00:00:00+00:00

* * *

“Con, Sonar. I have torpedoes in the water! Two…three… no sir, many more. It looks like eight separate contacts!”

“Eight? My God.” Gromyko was quickly at his sonar man’s side.

“I have two close contacts, most likely fired by the helicopters that have been searching for us. One bearing 260, range 12,500 meters approximate; another bearing 178 at about 9,500 meters. Those would be Mark 46 torpedoes, sir, and that first one is firing at maximum range.”

“The enemy is very eager today,” said Gromyko, seemingly unconcerned. “What is the speed of those torpedoes?”

“I make it 40 knots, sir—that’s 74KPH.”

“I see they are in no hurry. This is a fishing expedition.”

“Then I have two more, medium range at 11,000 meters approximate and bearing 315 degrees. They sound like Type 89s from the profile data match, sir.”

“Then we have another Japanese submarine to our south on that heading. Note it as Tokyo-One and place it on the tactical board, Mister Belanov.”

“Aye, sir. Designating Tokyo-One.”

“Four more contacts at longer range, Captain: two bearing 240, range 19,000 meters; two more bearing 272, range 18,000 meters.”

Gromyko nodded his head. “Type 89s, Chernov?”

“No sir, not all of them. I think the two fish bearing 272 are Type 48s, sir. The others sound like Type 89s.”

“Then we have an American boat on the 272 heading, and another Japanese boat on the 242 heading. Very interesting. Someone has convened a meeting here today. Designate the second Japanese boat Tokyo-Two, and the contact at 272 as Orlan.”

“So designated, sir,” came Belanov’s deep voice. The Starpom was busy setting up the battle on the tactical Plexiglas screen.

“Very well,” said Gromyko. “Weapon’s officer.”

“Sir!”

“Ready on tubes five and six. Set weapons to manual control.”

That caused the barest moment of hesitation but the Weapon’s Officer, Lieutenant Sergei Leonov, soon echoed the order, his eyes heavily on the Captain now as everyone on the bridge waited.

“Eject ordnance in tubes five and six. Do not, engage motors. Understood?”

“Aye sir. Firing now….Weapons free in the water. System on full manual control. Motors not engaged.”

Kazan had just ejected two big 650mm torpedoes, with no firing solution plotted, and the weapons had been manually prevented from starting their motors. Leonov was watching the Captain closely, now, waiting on his next order and wondering what he was doing.

Gromyko had but one question on his mind, now: how good was the enemy firing solution? What did they really know? We have been creeping along but they obviously heard something, he thought, possibly that damn bad bearing again, or this infernal maintenance procedure being run in the reactor room. I just gave them another whisper with that weapons ejection. Now here we are with no more than twenty knots available and a whole lot of trouble heading our way. Time to dance.

“Helm, right full rudder. Come to 270 true,” he said calmly.

“Helm answering, right full rudder and coming around to 270 degrees west sir, aye.”

“Where is the thermocline boundary, Chernov?”

“About 160 meters, sir.”

“Helm, make your depth one-five-zero.”

Kazan had been at 200

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