Sea of Shadows eBook - Navy Thriller.com

334 JEFF EDWARDS
proportions as a 1950s airliner. Seen in the daylight and under other
conditions, it might have seemed comical.
But in the darkness, it was invisible, except for the yellow-blue streak
of glare that trailed its engine exhaust.
It was a capable machine, despite its comic appearance, and there was
nothing even remotely amusing about the 454 kilograms of high explosive
packed in its warhead.
The missile made a last-second course correction and darted in for the
kill.
USS Towers (DDG-103) :
The aft CIWS spun on its mount and pointed its six barrels at the
incoming missile. With a sound akin to a lawn mower, the high-tech
Gatling gun spun its barrels up to speed and unleashed a burst of 20mm
rounds. A fraction of a second later, the cluster of hardened tungsten
bullets slammed into the incoming missile, and the HY-1 Silkworm
missile disintegrated in an expanding cloud of fire and shrapnel.
The CIWS mount swung back around to its zero position and waited
for another target.
“TAO—Bridge. We are clear of the minefield.”
Chief McPherson nearly broke her finger jamming the mike button.
“Bridge—USWE. Crack the whip! I say again, crack the whip!”
“Bridge, aye!”
The ship heeled abruptly to starboard as the bridge began the series of
tight switchback turns that were supposed to throw off the pursuing
torpedo.
“Weapons Control—TAO. Cease fire on all guns!”
“Weapons Control, aye!”
The deck heeled to port as the ship began a switchback turn in the
opposite direction. The guns stopped firing, leaving a strange, ear-ringing
silence in their wake.