Dale Brown - Executive Intent

“The argument’s been made that long-range strike is no longer necessary,” Banderas said flatly. “After the American Holocaust, strategic attack was all but killed off.”

“I think the same was said before the American Holocaust, sir,” Ann said. The American Holocaust was a Russian sneak attack using supersonic low-yield nuclear-tipped cruise missiles on American antiballistic-missile defense launch and radar sites, intercontinental ballistic-missile launch control centers, and long-range bomber bases. The attack killed several thousand persons, injured hundreds of thousands more, and in effect destroyed America ’s land-based nuclear deterrent. America ’s counterattack took place shortly thereafter, when Patrick McLanahan led a force of the surviving B-52, B-1, and B-2 bombers to capture a Russian air base in Siberia, from which he staged search-and-destroy missions throughout Russia that destroyed the majority of Russia ’s fixed and mobile intercontinental ballistic missiles.

The attacks left the two countries with a rough parity of nuclear-armed long-range missiles-the United States had its fourteen Trident ballistic-missile submarines, which had not been attacked (although it was widely believed that Russia had a follow-on attack mission ready), and a handful of long-range bombers, and Russia had two dozen surviving ICBM launchers and a handful of nuclear submarines. The world breathed a silent sigh of relief because now everyone saw the unspeakable horror of nuclear war, and all nuclear nations pledged to work to mothball all of their remaining nuclear weapons and delivery systems so the nightmare was never repeated.

“And now you’re proposing to create another arms race, Ann-this one in space,” Banderas said. “We put forty-eight weapon garages in orbit; China launches sixty; Russia launches a hundred. They start putting nukes in their garages; we modify our garages to attack their garages; they do the same to theirs. That’s a race we don’t need to start.”

“That race is already under way, sir,” Ann said. “Both Russia and China are stepping up their space launches; China has a space station aloft that they admit is being used for military research. Every nation knows that space is the ultimate high ground, and that the United States is way ahead in space technology. They will do one of two things: cooperate or compete.”

“Most countries are cooperating, Madam Secretary,” U.S. Space Command General Wiehl said. “With the Shuttle retired, we rely on the Russians almost every month for spacelift to the International Space Station.”

“I know that, General, and it worries me,” Ann said. “What if the Russians decided not to send Soyuz to the ISS anymore?”

“They wouldn’t do that, Doctor,” Wiehl said. “ Russia has invested a lot into the ISS, and they usually have one or two cosmonauts aboard. They rely on us as much as we rely on them.” But the sharpness of his rebuttal showed Ann that perhaps the question worried him more than he let on.

“Let’s get back to Dr. Page’s proposal,” Secretary Banderas said, glancing at his watch. “Twenty billion to put forty-eight…you called them ‘garages’? What’s in this ‘garage’?”

“Each weapon platform carries an infrared sensor, a tracking and targeting radar, electro-optical surveillance cameras, maneuvering engines, control and communications systems, and six Trinity kill vehicles-a mix of three antiballistic missile and defensive missiles, and three Mjollnir reentry vehicles,” Ann said. “The platforms are small enough to be placed into orbit with smaller boosters like Athena Two, Taurus, or the Midnight spaceplane, and they’re designed to be reloadable from manned or unmanned spacecraft.”

“Why forty-eight of these garages? Can it be done with fewer?”

“The number is based on commercial communications satellite structures that provide continuous global coverage, sir,” Ann said. “At an orbital altitude of about two to three hundred miles, which makes them easily accessible by our spaceplanes for servicing, there will be at least six platforms continuously overhead almost every spot on the planet.”

“So six garages with three antiballistic-missile interceptors-assuming some aren’t used to defend the garages themselves-is just eighteen interceptors able to respond at any moment to an attack,” Wiehl said. “Doesn’t sound like that many.”

“If we’re being attacked by more than eighteen enemy missiles-especially nuclear ones-we have a serious problem that wouldn’t be solved by twice as many interceptors, General,” Ann said with a wry smile. “The antiballistic-missile portion of the system is, of course, part of a layered system that includes boost-phase and terminal defenses.”

She turned to Secretary Banderas. “Sir, you’ve said it yourself many times: the Air Force has to do more with less; we have to field multi-role systems. The platforms are much more than just for space-based weapons. The sensors on board each platform and the integration of their data with other space assets through Armstrong Space Station will be invaluable to operators around the world. This network will provide real-time infrared, radar, and optical imagery to all users-even the Navy.” She leaned forward and opened her hands. “That’s the way we sell it to Secretary Turner and the White House.”

“This is a benefit for the Navy? That’s how we sell it?”

“The president is an unabashed Navy advocate,” Ann said. “He and SECDEF both believe that the Navy is the preeminent military power of the United States of America, and that every other service, especially the Air Force, is a support service. If that’s the way they want to see us, that’s fine. But let’s design a support mission that suits us, not fit in with how they see us.”

Secretary Banderas thought for a moment, then, as Ann breathed a sigh of relief, nodded. “I like it, Ann,” he said. “Global look, global persistence, global availability, with self-protection and antiballistic-missile capabilities-and run by the Air Force.”

“I think we’ll have real problems with the land-attack option, sir,” Chief of Staff Huffman said. “Even though these Mjollnir space weapons don’t technically violate any treaties, the whole idea of weapons raining down on top of you from space will spook a lot of people, possibly including the president.”

“Then we’ll downplay the land-attack thing at first,” Banderas said. “The missiles-”

“We call them ‘orbital maneuvering vehicles,’ sir,” Ann said.

The secretary of the Air Force nodded approvingly. “I like that,” he said. “Not ‘kill vehicles,’ not ‘missiles’-‘orbital maneuvering vehicles.’ OMVs. Okay, the OMVs are on board for self-protection and for ballistic-missile defense. The land-attack weapons are possible future development spirals. When can I get platforms upstairs, Ann?”

“The sensor packages and network integration was completed some time ago-the weapon interfaces have just completed R and D,” Ann replied. “We can build and launch one, perhaps two spacecraft a month. Within a year we can have sixty percent coverage and one hundred percent coverage within two years.”

Banderas nodded. “Excellent. We’ll meet to discuss where the money will come from, but because we’ll pitch this as a naval support system, we might be able to siphon some bucks out of the Navy. So what are you going to call it, Ann?”

“I thought of several names, sir,” Ann said, “but given the way we’re going to pitch this to the National Command Authority and Congress as a naval support system, I’ve narrowed it down to one: Kingfisher. The Navy won’t be as intimidated by a more globe-dominating name. Cute brightly colored little birds-the marine variety dive below the surface after fish.”