by Tom Clancy
James Adams: Those sort of blue on blue instances are all too common on land where people apparently should be able to see each other.
Captain Doug Littlejohns: War’s dangerous and that sort of thing does happen.
Tom Clancy: In World War II, we know at least one and possibly as many as three U.S. submarines were killed blue on blue. And in the one known case, the submarine was in a safe travel zone where nobody was supposed to attack anybody.
Captain Doug Littlejohns: My point exactly.
Tom Clancy: Yes, but a tincan skipper said, “This is it, that’s a Japanese submarine.” Boom.
Captain Doug Littlejohns: Yes.
James Adams: We learn in the game that intelligence says, “There are no enemy around here,” and intelligence, to put it mildly, gets it slightly wrong. What can you rely on? Are you very alone down there? Are you saying it’s me against everybody?
Captain Doug Littlejohns: No, I think that would be overdramatizing it. But there’s no doubt that if one puts implicit faith in the intelligence without a questioning mind, then it will end in tears. Intelligence can be reassuring, but as we mentioned earlier, Akula submarines have come out into the Atlantic and not necessarily been detected, or have only been detected infrequently, during which time they could have moved thousands of miles. So intelligence is not the be all and end all, and therefore it is just another part of the brickwork for running your submarine. That’s it.
James Adams: You have a jaundiced view of intelligence, Tom, I see.
Tom Clancy: It’s imperfect. I’ve yet to meet a tactical or operational commander who really trusts his intelligence sources.
James Adams: Because they prefer to trust their own judgment on the ground rather than some guy who’s somewhere in the rear?
Captain Doug Littlejohns: No, but it is nice to get intelligence, particularly hard intelligence reports, because that can make you frame your thinking for the next several hours. The English language gets very rough treatment in the intelligence service and you go from probable to possible with an awful lot of variations in the middle. And it is possible, after years of reading these things, to know how comfortable they’re feeling back at base. But as I said, I would never put total confidence in it.
James Adams: How do you think a player will come out of this game? Will they come out thinking, “God, who wants to be a skipper of a submarine?” or will they come out thinking, “This is a gripping, exciting, intellectually challenging task?” What do you think they’ll come away with?
Captain Doug Littlejohns: First of all, they’ll come out with a sense of achievement, I hope, if they’ve got through the fifteen scenarios. Secondly, it is not designed to act as a recruiting drive for the U.S. Navy submarine service. But I think what the player will come out with is with a bit of an understanding of what it’s like down there, something which nobody really has tried to portray in the past. You mentioned Crimson Tide; we’ve had a few other movies as well, one that was involved with this chap here. But none of those have really been able to pit the player against a few scenarios where he’s had to learn, hopefully, by his mistakes — or, if he’s bright enough, to operate the submarine intuitively. So I think that, yes, they’ll come out of it with a much better understanding of what life on a submarine is about. And that’s it.
James Adams: What do you think, Tom?
Tom Clancy: I know people who’ve done submarine and anti-submarine warfare from the surface, from underneath, and from the air, and they all agree that it’s the best game in town, that there is nothing more intellectually challenging than submarine slash anti-submarine warfare. And if the player really pays attention to the game, he’ll come out with as realistic a feel for that game as you can get anywhere.
Glossary
Active Sonar: Sonar that provides data by evaluating reflections of its own sound emissions.
ADC Mk 2 Decoy: Electro-acoustic torpedo countermeasure carried by American submarines.
ADCAP: Advanced capability (Mk 48). The most advanced version of the Mk 48 torpedo.
Aegis: Advanced ship-based air defense system designed to protect against massive air and missile saturation attacks. Fitted to Ticonderoga and Arleigh Burke warships.
Akula: The newest and most advanced Russian nuclear attack submarine. There are two variants: Akula I and Akula II. Top speed: 35 knots submerged. Length: 370 feet, 6 inches. Displacement: approximately 10,000 tons submerged. Major weapons: four 65cm tubes and four 53cm torpedo tubes.
Alfa: The Alfa is the first submarine in the world to be constructed of a titanium hull. It is also the fastest and one of the deepest diving. Less than ten units were constructed, however, and the submarine is very noisy and easy to detect. Top speed: 43 knots submerged. Length: 267 feet. Displacement: 3,680 tons submerged. Major weapons: six 53cm torpedo tubes.
ALFS: Airborne low frequency dipping sonar. Joint U.S.-French dipping sonar that will equip future ASW helicopters.
AMRAAM: Advanced medium range air-to-air missile (AIM-120).
Arco (ARDM 5): Medium auxiliary repair dry dock.
Arleigh Burke (DDG-51): Advanced American class of destroyers equipped with the Aegis air defense system. Top speed: 31 knots. Length: 504 feet, 4 inches. Displacement: 9,033 tons full load. Major weapons: Tomahawk, SM-2, and Harpoon missiles.
ASDS: Advanced SEAL delivery system for use on board submarines.
ASW: Anti-submarine warfare.
ASW Mortars/Rockets: Unguided rockets that can be fired from surface ships and are designed to attack submarines.
Baffles: The sonar-blind area to the rear of a ship or submarine. Because of the noise generated by the screw, it is difficult to detect a sonar contact in this area. BDA: Bomb damage assessment.
Biologics: The name given to the underwater sea-life that shows up as sonar contacts on board U.S. sonar systems.
Blue on Blue Encounters: The U.S. Navy’s term for “friendly fire,” an accidental attack on one’s own forces by their own or allied ground, air, or naval forces.
BSY-1: Advanced sonar and fire control system fitted in the 6881 class.
CAP: Combat air patrol. Protective air defense cover provided for the aircraft carrier battle group by the carrier’s air defense aircraft.
Cavitation: The formation of tiny air bubbles around rapidly revolving propeller blades when the depth is too shallow for the speed. These air bubbles make a popping noise as they collapse, which increases the noise level of a propeller and makes a ship or submarine easier to detect via sonar.
CCS Mk 2: Command and control system carried on Los Angeles class submarines that is used to plan and control missions for the Harpoon and Tomahawk missiles.
CINCPACFLT: Commander-In-Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet.
CIWS: Close-in weapons system. A last ditch antimissile system fitted on surface ships.
Cluster Bay and Cluster Gulf mines: Russian manufactured moored rising mines with an acoustic homing warhead.
COB: Chief of the boat. The senior enlisted sailor on board an American submarine.
COD: Carrier on board delivery. Delivery of support items, including mail, to an aircraft carrier while underway. The U.S. Navy’s primary COD aircraft is the C-2 Greyhound.
Conn: Control of a ship or submarine’s movements.
Convergence Zone: Phenomena whereby, if the water is deep enough, water pressure turns sound waves in the direction of the surface. This occurs at intervals of roughly 30 miles. Multiple convergence zone contacts are possible when the sound bounces off the surface and heads back down, eventually to be turned back upward again by the pressure.
CTF 74: Commander Task Force 74, also known as Commander Submarine Group 7.
Dipping Sonar: Sonar system carried by a helicopter that can be unreeled and dipped into the water to provide variable depth, active or passive sonar detection.
DSMAC: Digital scene-matching area correlation. One of several types of missile guidance used for Tomahawk cruise missiles.
EA-6B Prowler: Radar jamming and electronic warfare version of the A-6 Intruder. Carries the ALQ-99 jammer.
ELF: Extremely low frequency radio band.
ELINT: Intelligence collected by electronic means.
ESM: Electronic support measures. A passive receiver system designed to detect radar emissions.
ET-80: 53-cm Russian-manufactured wire-guided, active/ passive homing torpedo.
F-14 Tomcat: Long-range fleet air defense fighter carried on board U.S. Navy aircraft carriers.
F/A-18 Hornet: Dual purpose (fighter and attack) carrier- and land-based combat aircraft.
Fathom: Measure of length equal to six feet.
Floating Dry Dock: Movable dock, used to facilitate repairs to the underwater body of ships and submarines.
Floating Wire: Also called trailing wire. Similar to a receiving antenna that can be streamed underwater so that a submarine can remain submerged while it receives messages.
GPS: Global Positioning System. Satellite-based navigation system that can provide extremely accurate location fixes to forces on air, land, and sea. Can also be used in missile guidance systems.
H-5 Harbin: Chinese variant of the Russian I1-28 Beagle attack aircraft.
H-6 Xian: Chinese variant of the Russian Tu-16 Badger bomber.
Hainan: Chinese fast attack craft. Top speed: 30+ knots. Length: 193 feet. Displacement: 392 tons full load. Major weapons: can carry YJ-1 missile, ASW mortarrocket launcher, depth charges, or mines.
Han: This was Communist China’s first nuclear attack submarine. Only five units of this class were built. Top speed: 25 knots submerged. Length: 321 feet. Displacement: 5,500 tons submerged. Major weapons: six 53cm tubes.
Harpoon: Medium range anti-ship missile used by the U.S. Navy and its allies. Air (AGM-84), surface (RGM-84), and submarine torpedo tube (UGM-84) launched variants are all in use.
Huchuan: Chinese torpedo-carrying hydrofoil. Top speed: 50 knots foil-borne. Length: 71 feet, 6 inches. Displacement: 46 tons full load. Major weapons: two 53cm torpedo tubes.
HULTEC: The U.S. Navy’s library of ESM information.
HUMINT: Intelligence collected by human operatives.
HY-2: Chinese anti-ship missile with a range of over fifty nautical miles.
Independence (CV-62): The sole surviving active member of the 1950s era Forrestal class aircraft carriers — the first of the American “supercarriers.” Capable of carrying over seventy aircraft.
IUSS: The U.S. Navy’s integrated undersea surveillance system, the combination of SOSUS (sound surveillance systems) and SURTASS (surface towed array surveillance systems) ships.
J-7: Chinese variant of the Russian MIG-21 fighter.
Jianghu: Chinese frigate. Jianghu I, II, III, and IV variants are in service. Jianghu I: Top speed: 26 knots. Length: 338 feet, 6 inches. Displacement: 1,702 tons full load. Major weapons: HY-2 missiles, ASW mortars /rocket launchers, depth charges, and mines.
Kilo: This is the newest class of Russian diesel-electric submarines. Top speed: 17 knots submerged. Length: 229 feet. Displacement: 3,076 tons submerged. Major weapons: six 53cm torpedo tubes.
Knot: Unit of speed equivalent to one nautical mile per hour.
Komar: 1960s-era Russian missile-armed fast attack craft. Top speed: 40 knots. Length: 83.7 feet. Displacement: 80 tons full load. Major weapons: anti-ship missiles and guns.
LAMPS: Light airborne multipurpose system. Multipurpose helicopter carried by many American warships. The latest variant is the SH-60 LAMPS III.
Los Angeles (SSN 688): With the exception of the USS Seawolf class, this is the most advanced nuclear attack submarine class in the world. Built to several major configurations, the 688 class of submarines can be divided into three categories:
• Flight 1: SSNs 618–718. Original Los Angeles class
• Flight 2: SSNs 719–750. VLS added along with an upgraded reactor core
• Flight 3: SSNs 751–773. BSY-1 added, along with bow planes, improving under-ice capability and quieting. This is referred to as the improved Los Angeles class, and received the designation 6881
Top speed: 30+ knots. Length: 360 feet. Displacement: 6,927 tons submerged. Major weapons: four 21-inch torpedo tubes and twelve VLS in later boats.
Luda: Chinese destroyer. There are three variants: Luda I, II, and III. Luda I: Top speed: 32 knots. Length: 433 feet. Displacement: 3,670 tons. Major weapons: HY-2 missiles, ASW mortars-rocket launchers, mines and depth charges. Type II carries two helicopters.
Luhu: New, relatively advanced Chinese destroyer. Top speed: 31 knots. Length: 468 feet. Displacement: 4,200 full load. Major weapons: YJ-1 missiles, ASW mortars/rocket launchers. Carries two helicopters.
MAD: Magnetic anomaly detector. A device that can detect a submerged submarine from a low-flying aircraft or helicopter by detecting the distortion of the earth’s magnetic field caused by the metal hull of a submarine.
MAG: Russian manufactured moored ASW contact mine.
Master Number: Designation on board U.S. Navy submarines that represents a contact attained by combining one or more signals and/or sensors.
MC: Shipboard announcing system on board U.S. submarines (1MC is the main shipwide announcing system).
MIDAS: Mine detection and avoidance sonar fitted in improved Los Angeles class submarines. Also used under ice to avoid ice keels.
Mike: This was an advanced Soviet test submarine which was lost at sea in April 1989.
Ming: Chinese diesel attack submarine. Top speed: 18 knots submerged. Length: 249.3 feet. Displacement: 2,113 tons submerged. Major weapons: eight 53cm torpedo tubes.
Mk 41: Vertical launch system used on board several classes of U.S. surface warships.
Mk 46: American lightweight ASW torpedo carried by helicopters, aircraft, and surface ships. The Mk 46 has been widely exported.
Mk 48: Heavy torpedo carried by all American, and some allied, submarines. Can be used for attacks on both surface and submarine targets. The ADCAP is the newest type of Mk 48.
Mk 50: Advanced American lightweight torpedo. Replaces and supplements the Mk 46.
Nautical Mile: 6,076 feet or roughly 1.15 miles, usually rounded off to 2,000 yards.
Nimitz (CVN-68): The first of the nuclear-powered Nimitz class of aircraft carriers, which can carry over eighty-five aircraft.
Noisemaker: nickname for a submarine-launched countermeasure designed to decoy an enemy torpedo away from its target.
Oliver Hazard Perry (FFG-7): Large class of American multipurpose frigates. Top speed: 29 knots. Length: approximately 450 feet. Displacement: 4,100 tons full load. Major weapons: Harpoon, SM-1. Carries two LAMPS helicopters.
OOD: Officer of the deck. The U.S. Navy officer in charge of the ship or submarine. The OOD represents the commanding officer.
P-3 Orion: Long-range land-based maritime patrol and ASW aircraft operated by the U.S. and many of its allies. In Canadian service, the Orion is known as the Aurora.
Passive Sonar: Sonar that passively gathers its data from the noise an object radiates.
PBXN-103: High explosive, 650 pounds of which are found in the Mk 48’s warhead.
Phoenix: AIM-54. Long-range air-to-air missile carried by the F-14 Tomcat. Maximum range is more than 100 miles.
RBU-1200: Russian ASW mortar/rocket launcher.
Romeo: Russian designed diesel-electric class of submarines. Construction began in the 1950s. More than sixty are believed to remain in service with Chinese active and reserve forces. Top speed: 13 knots submerged. Length: 252 feet, 7 inches. Displacement: 1,700 tons submerged. Major weapons: eight 53cm torpedo tubes.
RORSAT: Russian radar ocean reconnaissance satellite.
S-3 Viking: Carrier-based long-range ASW aircraft. ES- 3 version used for carrier-based Signals Intelligence.
S6G: The pressurized water reactor that provides the main power source fo
r the Los Angeles class of attack submarines.
SAET-60: 53cm Russian-manufactured anti-surface torpedo.
SEALs: Sea air land, U.S. Navy special operations units.
Seawolf (SSN-21): the newest class of nuclear attack submarine to be built for the U.S. Navy. Top speed: 35+ knots submerged. Length: approximately 350 feet. Displacement: 9,150 tons submerged. Major weapons: eight 30-inch torpedo tubes.
SET-53: 53cm Russian-manufactured active/passive ASW homing torpedo.
Seventh Fleet: U.S. Navy Fleet responsible for naval operations in the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans. Headquarters: Yokosuka, Japan.
SH-60 Seahawk: U.S. Navy ASW and multipurpose LAMPS III helicopter.
Sierra: Advanced Russian SSN. Only slightly less capable than the Akulas. Top speed: 35 knots submerged. Length: 351 feet. Displacement: 7,900 tons submerged. Major weapons: four 65cm and two 53cm tubes.
Sierra Number: A designation representing a sonar contact on board a U.S. Navy submarine. Such contacts may be upgraded to Master Numbers if they are deemed possible threats or of other significance.
SLBM: Submarine launched ballistic missile.
SM-1/SM-2: Standard surface-to-air missiles carried on board U.S. and allied warships. SM-2 is the more advanced of the two and is also carried on board Aegis warships.
Snap Shot: Firing a torpedo in an emergency situation. Because no TMA has yet been conducted, the torpedo must be launched in the probable direction of the target.