Shadow Flight (1990)

by Joe Weber

  "The B-1 s," Kerchner continued, "will be escorted to and from the targets by their own fighters. The F-15s and -16s will tank over the Gulf--from two KC-10s--and fly cover all the way in and out, recovering at Homestead Air Force Base."

  Truesdell nodded his understanding.

  "Any questions, gentlemen?" Kerchner asked, returning to his seat.

  The secretary of state turned to the president. "Sir, I would like one clarification, concerning logistics."

  "Certainly, Sam," Jarrett responded, closing his briefing folder.

  "When are you leaving for 'kneecap'?" Gardner asked, referring to the National Emergency Airborne Command Post (NEACP). Jarrett and the secretary of defense had agreed that it would be best to have the president airborne, ready for any contingency.

  The president leaned back, reopened his folder, then looked at Kerchner. "Bernie, let's cover our command, control, and communications plans."

  "Yes, sir," Kerchner replied, turning to the "c-cubed" page in his folder. "The president will board the crown helo at five in the morning and be airborne in kneecap at five-thirty. The vice president will leave after this meeting for Raven Rock. He will be in the communications loop at Site R at five-fifteen in the morning."

  Kerchner looked at the secretary of state. "Sam, you'll be driven to Mount Weather later this evening. I'll remain here, along with the Joint Chiefs. However, we'll have another kneecap standing by at Andrews, if needed."

  The discussion was over. "Well, gentlemen," the president said in a firm tone, "I must excuse myself." Jarrett stood, remaining in place until the men followed a second later.

  "Before I leave," the president said as he grasped his briefing folder, "I want to express my appreciation for all your fine work. America has a long and proud history of being the de facto leader of the free world. Now, we have the responsibility to defend our nation and people. We must face a fundamental fact. To remain a free nation, we may have to sacrifice more lives in order to preserve our future, and the future of our children."

  Jarrett walked out of the room as the remaining men looked at each other, concern etched on their faces.

  DIAMOND 103

  Commander Doug Karns slowed the battered Tomcat in preparation for a controllability check. He had sent the second section of F-14s back to Kitty Hawk. He checked the horizon, then watched the airspeed indicator-215 . . . 210 . . . 205 . . . The F-14's right wing dropped sharply.

  "Oh, shit!" Karns said over the intercom, slamming the throttles into afterburner. The Tomcat accelerated quickly through 230 knots as he leveled the wings again. "On speed is two-oh-five."

  Karns's new radar intercept officer, Lt. (jg) Dean "Scurvy" Ricketts, keyed his intercom. "Skipper, you want to dump some gas-lighten us up a tad?"

  "I'm in the process," Karns answered, flipping the fuel dump switch. Jet fuel streamed back from the fighter as Karns switched from approach control to Key West tower. "Navy Key West tower, Diamond One Oh Three with you on a wide, modified right base."

  "Roger, Diamond One Zero Three," the tower chief replied, apprised of the inbound emergency aircraft. "Cleared straight in, runway seven, wind one-one-zero at twelve. We have the equipment standing by."

  "Thanks," Karns radioed, then talked to his wingman. "Two, go ahead and land, in case I crater the runway."

  "Copy, skipper," the pilot responded, lowering his flaps and landing gear.

  "Key tower," Karns called, rolling into a shallow turn, "Diamond Two is going to land first."

  The tower controller looked down at the fire trucks, then keyed his radio. "Diamond Two cleared to land. Roll out to the end of the runway."

  The wingman clicked his mike twice as he slowed the Tomcat to his on-speed angle of attack.

  Karns completed two wide 360-degree turns, streaming white vapor trails of jet fuel, as he briefed his radar intercept officer. "Scurve, if we don't grab the wire, I'll go burner and we'll come around for another crack at it."

  "Ah . . . skipper," Ricketts ventured, "think we should stop dump?"

  "Oh, shit," Karns replied, snapping off the fuel dump switch. He had 1,400 pounds left--enough for two passes. "Scurve, you want to go ahead and jump out? I'm having a hell of a day."

  "Naw," Ricketts responded, looking down at the ocean, "I didn't bring my bathing suit."

  Karns watched the other Tomcat land, roll out, and turn off at the end of the runway. He lined up with the center line, dropped the gear, and lowered the tailhook. The squadron commander flew a shallow, low approach at 210 knots, then brought the throttles to idle and flared the F-14 gently over the runway threshold.

  The fighter landed on the numbers, but the hook slammed into the pavement and bounced over the wire. Kams shoved the throttles into afterburner, feeling the Tomcat vibrate. The master caution light flashed on, but Karns could not look down for the cause. His feet danced on the rudder pedals, correcting the F-14's path down the runway.

  He rotated the speeding jet and shot a quick glance at the annunciator panel. "Sonuvabitch!" Karns swore over the intercom, seeing that the combined hydraulics had dropped to zero. "Scurve, we're in deep shit."

  "What now, coach?" Ricketts asked in an unsteady voice. The ejection option was looking better.

  "Diamond One Zero Three," the tower controller radioed urgently, "looks like you blew one of your main mounts. Appears to be rubber on the runway."

  "Copy," Karns replied, wrestling with the sluggish fighter. "We're coming around for a final pass-we'll have to keep it on the ground this time."

  Karns keyed his intercom as the tower acknowledged the radio transmission. "Scurve, we're outta as and hydraulic fluid. If we miss the wire, I'll try to keep us on the runway."

  "You've got my vote," Ricketts responded, cinching his straps as tight as they would go.

  Karns, watching the sun sink below the horizon, flew an extended downwind and turned final. "If we go off the runway, or it looks like we're gonna take out any obstacles, I'll call for ejection."

  "I'm ready," Ricketts replied, taking the ink pens out of the arm pocket of his flight suit. He unstrapped his knee board and stowed it on the side console, then placed his sunglasses in his right breast pocket. The young officer said a silent prayer as the end of the runway flashed under the stricken Tomcat.

  Karns pulled the power to idle, touched down hard at 190 knots, sensed the tailhook skip, then fought the rudders to keep the F-14 on the runway.

  "Uh, oh!" Karns exclaimed when the left main mount, minus the tire, collapsed. The Tomcat's left wing dug into the pavement, trailing a shower of sparks and metal.

  Karns fought to keep the big Grumman on the runway, then realized they were headed for a fire truck that was backing away at full throttle.

  "Eject! Eject!" Karns shouted as he pulled the alternate ejection handle between his legs.

  Both men rocketed out of the speeding Tomcat, arcing through the air. Their chutes opened a split second before the F-14 slashed by the fire truck, exploded in a blinding flash, then tumbled across the field.

  Chapter Twenty-three

  SAN JULIAN

  The air base had been placed under total blackout conditions, as had all of Cuba. President Castro had issued a warning over national radio. Simply stated, any light showing after dark would be shot out by the army.

  The perimeter of San Julian was bustling with activity as additional weapons were placed in strategic locations. Four squads of Cuban soldiers rushed from site to site, camouflaging the armament.

  Portable surface-to-air (SAM) missiles ringed the air base, along with radar-controlled 57mm and 85mm antiaircraft guns. By late evening, twenty-three motorized ZSU-X antiaircraft weapons had joined the original twelve ZSU-Xs that had been sent to San Julian earlier. The assembled firepower represented a major obstacle to the American pilots.

  Seven MiG-23s, eight MiG-25 Foxbats, and twelve MiG-29 Fulcrums had been fueled and loaded with ordnance in preparation for the expected American assault. The fighters were l
ined up on the runway and taxiway, ready to be airborne in five minutes.

  The first eight aircraft on the runway, six Fulcrums and two MiG-25s, were manned.. The rest of the pilots, including three Russian instructors, waited in the ready tent erected hastily next to their fighters.

  Gennadi Levchenko sat on the small bunk in the cramped guarters behind his office. The wait for instructions from Moscow was taking its toll on the KGB director.

  Levchenko leaned over his footlocker, grabbed the neck of a rum bottle, and poured a liberal amount of the amber fluid into his coffee mug. He tossed down the room-temperature libation, grimaced, and reached into his pocket for a cigarette. His hand froze when the chief communications officer rapped on the edge of his open door.

  "Comrade director," the man said cautiously, "I have an urgent message for you."

  "Moscow called?" Levchenko asked impatiently. "What is it?" The communications officer swallowed. "Raul Castro is en route to our base, comrade dir--"

  "Goddamnit!" Levchenko bellowed, leaping up. "Get Moscow on the line! I want answers!"

  The flustered officer, exhausted from lack of sleep and the mounting tension, hurried out of the small office and ran toward the communications center.

  Levchenko hastily slipped on his boots and marched into the hangar. He surveyed the B-2, noting it was in the final stages of reassembly. The fuselage was still open, exposing the complex array of electronic equipment, but the few remaining access panels were being replaced.

  Levchenko, kicking a loose hose out of his way, walked over to the senior airframe technician. The scowl on the director's face reflected his foul mood. "When will the Stealth be ready to fly?"

  The aircraft engineer, matching Levchenko's serious look, calculated quickly how much longer it would take to restore the bomber to flying condition. "Two and a half--possibly three hours at the most, comrade director."

  Levchenko looked at his watch, thoroughly disgruntled with the change of events. "It damned sure better be," Levchenko growled, then spun around and headed for the communications center.

  The Soviet airframe technician, upset by Levchenko's rebuke, turned around and barked orders to his crew. Intimidated and uneasy, the men went back to work at an increased pace.

  Levchenko was about to enter the communications room when the harried comm officer rushed out. "Comrade director, Moscow is on the line," he gushed, "and Castro's helicopter just landed at base operations."

  "Sonuvabitch!" Levchenko yelped, brushing the officer out of his way. He stormed into the room and glanced at the sergeant manning the main console.

  The portly young man, showing his anxiety, looked toward Levchenko. "Castro is on his way over, comrade director."

  Levchenko ignored him and yanked up the receiver next to the blinking yellow light. "Levchenko!"

  The KGB director was paralyzed momentarily when he heard the voice on the discreet phone. He sat down, fumbled for a cigarette, snapped open his lighter, and listened to the chief of the KGB. Not a subordinate, division chief, or operations director. THE director of Komitet Gosudarstvennoi Bezopasnosti.

  Levchenko forgot about the cigarette. "Da, comrade director." He listened intently to Vladimir Golodnikov, motioning for the communications officer to close the door, then scribbled a note to the surprised man.

  "Da, I understand, comrade director," Levchenko said as the comm officer read the scrawl and rushed out to find Obukhov.

  "Da, comrade director," Levchenko continued, surprised by the order he had been given. "I will keep you informed, comrade director." Levchenko listened to the final statement, then said good-bye. "Do svidanya, comrade director."

  KEY WEST NAVAL AIR STATION

  Commander Doug Karns taxied his "borrowed" F-14D onto the runway and swung into position for takeoff. He had been cleared to hold in position until the A-6F Intruder that had landed cleared the runway.

  The commanding officer of the Diamondbacks, along with his radar intercept officer, had received a thorough physical after their narrow escape. They were in excellent condition, except for strained muscles and contusions, and had been pronounced fit for flight duty.

  Karns had made arrangements to have his wingman and RIO flown to the Kitty Hawk. He checked with the carrier air boss for an overhead time, then crawled into Diamond 107 and taxied to the duty runway.

  "You ready, Scurve?"

  Ricketts thought of an appropriate answer but decided not to utter the obscene expression to his CO. Instead, he voiced what he really felt. "A triple martini would help."

  Karns grinned, keying his radio when the Intruder cleared the duty runway. "Key tower, Diamond One Oh Seven, ready to roll." "Diamond One Zero Seven, wind one-zero-zero at eight, cleared for takeoff."

  Karns rechecked his flight controls, navigation and anticollision lights, and engine instruments. He released the brakes, shoved the throttles into afterburner, then felt the powerful g forces push his helmet back against the headrest. "Diamond One Oh Seven on the roll."

  The Tomcat accelerated down the 10,000-foot runway, afterburners lighting the night, then rotated smoothly and headed for the Kitty Hawk.

  SAN JULIAN

  Levchenko glanced at the Stealth bomber, then saw Obukhov rushing across the hangar. Both men arrived at Levchenko's office at the same time.

  "We have more problems . . . , shit," Levchenko snarled, slamming the door. "Raul Castro is here."

  "I was informed," Obukhov responded, sitting down on the hard metal bench.

  Levchenko sat down at his desk and wearily removed his glasses. "I just had a conversation with our stubborn director--THE man."

  Obukhov sensed trouble. The KGB chief's reputation for recalcitrance was known widely throughout the organization.

  "He ordered us to cooperate with Castro," Levchenko sighed heavily. "They are backing off . . . washing their hands of the operation now that we have the goddamned airplane."

  Obukhov, clearly uncomfortable, fidgeted for a moment. "I'm not sure I understand, comrade director."

  "Damnit!" Levchenko snapped, showing his growing frustration. "The situation is out of control. Golodnikov knows the operation has collapsed. They can't contain or control Castro, and they have turned their backs on the operation . . . and us. I don't know what the hell is going on, but the Kremlin is not to be involved further. Golodnikov inferred that I am a man without a country-persona non grata in Moscow."

  Levchenko yanked out a cigarette, lighted it, and inhaled deeply. "We are out of the picture. The Stealth belongs to Castro, as of now."

  Both men sat in dumbfounded silence. So many months of intense work, training, and planning had been erased in one split second.

  Levchenko started to speak, then noticed a commotion in the hangar. He stood, then walked to the door and opened it. "He's here," Levchenko said in a resigned voice. "I will need your assistance, Natanoly Vitelevich."

  "You have it, comrade director."

  Levchenko and Obukhov silently observed Raul Castro and his small procession enter the hangar, stop for a moment to take in the secret bomber, then walk slowly toward the work spaces and office.

  Levchenko, watching Raul Castro, wondered about Fidel Castro's motivation. The dictator had always harbored a grudge against the Soviet Union for excluding him during the 1961 missile crisis-the October crisis in Cuban history. Stifling his rage and looking pleasant, Levchenko walked toward the commander of the Cuban army and extended his hand.

  Raul Castro gave Levchenko an obligatory handshake. He was imposing as he stared at Levchenko, eyes focused, riveting. Beads of sweat glistened on his forehead and sideburns. His olive green utility uniform was damp with perspiration. "You do not have the bomber ready to fly," Castro accused.

  "Comrade general," Levchenko replied uncomfortably, "the bomber will be ready to fly in three hours. The men are working as fast as they can."

  Raul Castro remained silent a moment before he leaned into Levchenko's face. "I will be back in three hours--ha
ve it ready!"

  Levchenko flinched, feeling the warm spittle hit his cheek. "Yes, comrade general."

  USS KITTY HAWK (CV-63)

  Sparks flew from the tailhook of Diamond 107 as Comdr. Doug Karns screeched to a halt in the number three arresting cable. The CO let the Tomcat roll back a few feet, dropped the wire, raised the tailhook, and followed the lighted wands held aloft by the flight deck petty officer. The pitch-black deck was alive with ordnance handlers and fueling crews.

  Kitty Hawk began slowing as the plane guard helicopter, a Kaman SH-2F Seasprite, entered a hover over the angle deck, then settled to a gentle landing. Two F-14Ds sat on the forward catapults, manned and ready to launch at a moment's notice.

  Seventy-five miles ahead of Kitty Hawk, off the port quarter, two Diamondback Tomcats flew barrier air combat patrol. They would refuel one more time from two KA-6D Intruders before being relieved by two F-14Ds from the Black Aces of VF-41.

  On board Kitty Hawk, in flag plot, the carrier air wing commander had received the tactical air operations order. The battle plans had been approved by the Joint Chiefs of Staff before being forwarded to the three carrier groups. The operations order tasked the three air wings with attack and combat air patrol missions, along with a war-at-sea contingency.

  SAN JULIAN

  Gennadi Levchenko, unshaven and feeling the effects of fatigue, supervised the final assembly of the Stealth bomber. He had Simmons, who had become even more withdrawn, in the cockpit checking the avionics and weapons systems.

  Levchenko had watched the time closely, expecting the Cuban general to return at the end of three hours. He observed the tired technicians reconnect the last avionics system and replace the last access panel, then went into the lavatory and washed his face with cold water. He was drying his neck vigorously when Natanoly Obukhov rushed in.