Outlaw by Jack Stewart

Author:Jack Stewart [Stewart, Jack]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-02-20T00:00:00+00:00

32

Dusty One

Air Branch Mi-17 Hip

Charlie stared at the dark island through his night vision goggles with detached calmness. He saw flashes of light break through the dense jungle near the landing zone and knew the SEALs were engaged in a firefight, giving the enemy hell as they retreated down the hillside toward the beach. But his observation was merely another data point and didn’t change his focus from the looming approach.

Coming in from the sea meant he wouldn’t have to account for rising terrain or other obstacles impeding his flight path, but it also meant his approach would be over a mostly flat surface, and he wouldn’t have an opportunity to calibrate his depth perception. That was a challenge anytime flying on goggles, but tonight he needed to be extra cautious to avoid overshooting the LZ.

“You’re point two from the zone,” Roger said.

While Charlie focused on the green-hued scene through the forward windscreen, his second pilot sat in the seat to his left and called out the estimated range to touchdown, giving him another tool he could use to ensure he flared to stop his forward travel over the correct spot. Charlie was thankful their model of Mi-17 had large windows in front of each pilot’s pedals and one in the centerline that allowed excellent forward visibility when landing.

Roger reached up and flipped the switch to activate hydraulics and lower the cargo ramp at the rear of the helicopter—a much appreciated improvement over the typical clamshell-style doors. Both side doors were open, but they weren’t sure which direction the SEALs would come from, and every second counted. The quicker they were aboard, the quicker they could lift off and return to the safety of the sea.

“Point one,” Roger said.

Charlie glanced to his right and saw an increase in the gunfire breaking through the jungle. It was going to get really interesting really quick.

Charlie keyed the switch to speak over the intercom. “We need someone on the guns.”

“On it,” came a SEAL’s reply.

Without taking his eyes off the approaching landing zone, Charlie knew what was happening behind him in the main cabin. Each of the four SEALs had been trained in operating the miniguns before taking off from the Reagan, and two were taking up positions at the side doors and preparing to rain hate down on the enemy. After clipping the safety tethers’ carabiners to their rigger’s belts, the SEALs would remove a cotter pin to unlock the pivoting system and swing the guns out over the water.

The electrically driven six-barrel rotary machine guns were capable of firing 7.62 x 51mm rounds at a rate of over three thousand rounds per minute. Though there were no optics or lasers on the guns, they were loaded with a three-to-one tracer mix that would allow the operators to walk their fire onto the targets. Both SEALs flipped their switches to turn on the guns’ power supplies, then free-spun the barrels.

“Dusty One…” There was heavy breathing on the radio. “We’re thirty seconds out.”

“Mark yourselves with IR strobes,” Charlie replied.

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