Dale Brown - Sky Masters

“The First-what? What the hell is that?” the President asked with irritation. “The First Air Battle Wing is the new Rapid Deployment Force air combat group, sir, ” Curtis explained. “According to the current strategic force operations plan under DEFCON Three, the First Air Battle Wing is formed upon alert notification and deployed to one of three locations-Loring Air Force Base in Maine, Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, or Andersen on Guam. From these three operating locations, the Air Battle Force can strike at any spot on the globe within twelve hours.”

“Who’s in this Air Battle Wing?” “The wing is a collection of strike aircraft, mostly heavy bombers-B-52s, B-1Bs, F-111G, and F-15E bombers-plus tankers, fighters, and cargo planes, ” Curtis replied. “The Air Battle Force has its own fighter escorts, its own reconnaissance and intelligence aircraft, and its own defense-suppression aircraft-it’s a single self-contained combat unit that can operate from remote areas over long distances on very short notice. It-“

“Let me get this straight, ” the President said, an exasperated edge in his voice. “You want to send in two aircraft carrier battle groups-that’s over twelve thousand men if I’m not mistaken-plus two thousand Marines, plus all these B-52s and other combat aircraft?” He said the words “B-fifty-two” as if he were uttering a curse. “Do you know something about this operation I don’t?”

“Sir, the Joint Chiefs feel it’s vital to act quickly, decisively, and with enough firepower into the area very quickly. The carriers can’t get into the area for several days-” “Enough, General, ” the President said. “I am not going to send all those men and all that firepower into that area without first knowing what I might get myself into. You can understand that, right?” He did not wait for a response. “You said it would take a couple of days to get a couple of naval units into the area? Fine. I’ll buy that. “I’ll authorize two carrier battle groups-not three-to head toward the area where the explosion was detected. They are to take no military action unless I specifically authorize it. Those ships are authorized to protect themselves to the fullest extent. I’ll also authorize a small patrol to investigate-no more than three surface ships. Deploy radar aircraft as you see fit. But I don’t want any massive armada steaming off the Philippine coast-they’ll think it’s a damned invasion. “As for the Air Battle thing, that’s out of the question, ” the President continued. “I know the Air Force has been trying to downplay the nuclear role of the B-52 and show the world that the mere presence of the thing doesn’t constitute the end of the world-I believe they call it ‘desensitization’-but we’re not going to provoke the goddamned Chinese into a full-scale conflict. God only knows where it would lead “Yes, sir, I understand, ” Curtis replied. “And another thing, ” the President added. “I’m allowing you to deploy these two groups against my better judgment. Frankly I’d prefer only one group. “One last request, ” Curtis added quickly. “Yes?” The President sighed. “I realize you don’t want the Air Battle Force involved yet, but I would like permission to deploy the STRATFOR-“

“The what?” Curtis knew that the President knew what he was talking about. “The Strategic Force. The advance team for the Air Battle Force. I’d like to deploy them for reconnaissance operations in the area.”

“And what would you do with the STRATFOR if you got it?” the President asked warily. “We’d conduct long-range reconnaissance and probe missions from Guam, using E-3C radar planes, RC-135 reconnaissance planes, and EC- 135 communications planes-General Tyler of SAC has a team standing by ready to go. The STRATFOR also takes officers and engineers from the Air Battle Force to help set up support facilities-this is especially important now that we have aircraft like the B-2 bomber in inventory.” The President mulled this over. “Uh huh. And then what? What’d be next?” Curtis pressed on. “Then, if the situation warranted, and you, of course, felt the time was appropriate, we’d deploy the First Air Battle Wing. This is important because they’d be an integrated force of bombers, fighters, and support aircraft to protect the naval forces and clear a path for further operations.” The President looked indecisive and exasperated. He turned to Defense Secretary Tom Preston. “What is it exactly that you want to do, Thomas?”

“Just what General Curtis is recommending: send in the STRATFOR to Guam. SAC will back it up with the Pacific Tanker Task Force, which will provide air refueling support for the deployment.”

“Uh huh.” The President nodded, still not entirely convinced, but leaning toward a yes. “Oh… and, Mr. President?” General Curtis said. “CINCSAC is recommending, and I agree, for Major General Richard Stone to be the STRATFOR commander-he’s an ex-SAC division commander and was the former base commander at Clark. He knows the Philippines like the back of his hand. General Stone will make his recommendations to Pacific Air Forces and Pacific Command on the type of response neces sary and they make recommendations to you. Once approval is granted from you through Pacific Command, the STRATFOR will form the Air Battle Force.” The President paused for a few moments, then nodded his head. “All right, General-I have my doubts, but let’s do it. Send in the two carrier groups only, put the Marines on standby, and send out the STRATFOR to Guam to help check things out. We’ll wait on whether to send your Air Battle Force until we find out what in hell the Chinese are up to. Got all that?”

“Yes, sir, I understand, ” Curtis replied, and quickly added, “There are a few more items-” President Lloyd Taylor had had enough, but he said, “Yes, General, make it quick…”

“CINCPAC has requested an increased ‘safe zone’ around his fleet assets in the region . “Sink~ho?”

“Sorry, sir… Admiral Stoval. Commander in Chief, Pacific Forces. He’ll be in overall charge of operations in the South China Sea; he is asking permission to order the fleet that is sent down there to engage unidentified or hostile vessels or aircraft out to a range of two hundred miles instead of the usual one hundred miles.”

“Why does he need that?” President Taylor grumbled. “Sir, if it was a Fei Lung-9 missile that was launched from a Chinese ship, the missile has a range in excess of one hundred miles and is supersonic, which makes the task of shooting it down very difficult. With a nuclear warhead, the kill radius of the missile is that much greater. The commanders in the area will want to keep all unidentified aircraft as far away as possible from their ships and to provide air cover for the reconnaissance planes, ” Curtis said. “They all operate no closer than two hundred miles from Philippine waters… “Air cover? I said no air operations!” the President snapped. “This would be for the STRATFOR reconnaissance jets, sir, ” Curtis explained. “Those jets-the AWACS, the EC-135, and the RC-135 are unarmed recon planes. We have to provide air cover for them if they’re operating so close to the Chinese forces “I thou, ght you said this would be a simple operation, General. “Sir, for safety’s sake, each STRATFOR aircraft should have a minimum of eight fighters with it at all times. “Eight fighters!” the President exploded. “And how many aircraft will you send from the STRATFOR?”

“Four, sir, ” Curtis replied. “You want thirty-six aircraft involved in a ‘simple’ reconnaissance mission? That’s out of the question. If I saw that many planes near my ships, I know I’d be angry. Good God, man, don’t you get it? I’m trying to avoid a fucking war! We’re sending in all this force and we don’t even know what the hell is going on!”