Sea of Shadows eBook - Navy Thriller.com

232 JEFF EDWARDS
should break the rules of NATO tactical doctrine without looking like it’s
going to break them.”
The XO’s eyebrows went up. “So we have to hit them with something
that’s not in the NATO tactical doctrine, but it has to look like something
that is in the NATO doctrine?”
Chief McPherson nodded. “Yes, sir.”
“I think everyone’s got the idea, Chief,” the captain said. “Move on.”
“Yes, sir. If the subs run flat-out at their top speed of twenty knots, the
earliest they can possibly reach the choke point is 1100. At thirty knots,
we can be on station nearly forty minutes ahead of them—more than
enough time to get in position to intercept.”
The chief pointed to a series of penciled X-marks on the world map.
“I’ve done a little math here. And based on the timing of the various
sightings and skirmishes with the submarines, I calculate that they are
covering an average distance of 13.5 nautical miles per hour. Although
they are undoubtedly traveling at a higher rate of speed, the deceptive
maneuvering they’re using has reduced their actual speed through the
water. All that zigging and zagging slows down their progress. If they
continue their deceptive maneuvering, I estimate that the subs won’t reach
the choke point until some time after 1700 this evening. As I say, the SAU
will be in position by 1020 hours, just in case the Germans decide to forgo
their tricky maneuvering routine, in favor of achieving maximum possible
speed through the water.”
She looked around the table. There were no questions, so she
continued. “We want our setup to duplicate our previous deployment of
forces as closely as possible.” She pointed to the Arabian Gulf chart
again. “I recommend we put Benfold and Ingraham here and here, Spaced
at eighty percent of their predicted sonar ranges, just like before. They’ll
use the same locked-step zigzag pattern that we used before, forming a
two-ship version of the moving barrier. Last time we used three ships in
the barrier, but the Germans know that we are down a ship, so they’ll
expect our formation to be one ship short.”
The Combat Systems Officer, Lieutenant Sikes, tapped a pencil against
her palm. “When do we pull the rabbit out of the hat?” she asked. “So far,
this looks like what we did when we got our butts shot off.”
Chief McPherson grinned. “That’s exactly how we want it to look,
ma’am. The good old U.S. Navy, too dumb to learn from its mistakes,
trying the same old plan—even after it’s fallen on its face.” She pointed to
a spot on the chart, behind the formation. “The Germans will assume that
Towers is back here in the Pouncer position, running behind the advancing
barrier—ready to charge around the end of the formation at the first sign of