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NORTH ATLANTIC
〃Good morning； Mr。 Bear。〃 The Tomcat pilot stared at his TV display tube。 The Russian aircraft was about forty miles away； the sun glinting off its massive propellers。 Deciding to close without using his radar for the moment； the fighter pilot advanced his throttles to 80…percent power and activated his missile controls。 The head…on closure rate was over a thousand miles per hour； seventeen miles per minute。
Then： 〃Energize！〃 the pilot ordered； and instantly the radar intercept officer in the rear seat powered up the fighter's AWG…9 radar。
〃We've got him；〃 the RIO reported a moment later。
〃Shoot！〃 Two missiles dropped free and accelerated to over three thousand miles per hour。
The Soviet electronics…warfare technician was trying to isolate the signature characteristics of the frigate's search radar when a beep sounded on a separate warning receiver。 He turned to see what the noise was and went pale。
〃Air…attack warning！〃 he shouted over the inter。
Reacting at once； the pilot rolled the Bear left and dove for the surface of the ocean； while aft the EW technician activated his protective jamming systems。 However； the turn had masked the jammer pods from the ining missiles。
〃What's happening？〃 the raid mander demanded over the inter。
〃We have an interceptor radar on us；〃 the technician replied； scared but cool。 〃Jamming pods are activated。〃
The raid mander turned to his munications man。 〃Get a warning out： enemy fighter activity this position。〃
But there wasn't time。 The Phoenixes covered the distance in less than twenty seconds。 The first went wild and missed； but the second locked on the diving bomber and blew its tail off。 The Bear fell to the sea with as little grace as a dropped sheet of paper。
USS REUBEN JAMES
The radar showed the Tomcat； and they watched as it launched two missiles that immediately disappeared from sight； and then； silently； as the Tomcat continued east for thirty seconds。 Then it turned around and headed back west。
〃That； gentlemen； is a kill；〃 Morris said。 〃Splash one Bear。〃
〃How do you know？〃 Calloway asked。
〃You think he would have turned back if he missed？ And if it was anything but a Bear； he'd have broken radio silence。 ESM； we copy any radio traffic from zero…eight…zero？〃
The petty officer in the forward starboard corner of the partment didn't look up。 〃No； Captain； not a peep。〃
〃Damn；〃 Morris said。 〃It works。〃
〃And if the bugger didn't get a message out…〃 Calloway understood。
〃We're the only ones who know。 Maybe we can bushwhack the whole attack force。〃 Morris stepped over to the display screen。 The America's fighters were now all in the air； seventy miles south of the convoy。 He looked at the bulkhead clock： the Backfires were about forty minutes away。 He lifted a phone。 〃Bridge； bat。 Signal Battleaxe to close in。〃
Within seconds； Battleaxe turned hard a'port and headed west toward Reuben James。 One new thing had already worked today； Morris thought。 Why not another？
〃Stand by to launch helo；〃 he ordered。
O'Malley was sitting in his cockpit reading a magazine； or at least letting his eyes scan the pictures while his mind struggled to detach itself from what was going on around him。 The announcement over the loudspeaker tore him away from Miss July。 Immediately； Ensign Ralston began the engine start sequence while O'Malley scanned the trouble board for any mechanical problems； then looked out the door to be sure that the deck crewmen were clear。
〃What are we supposed to be doing； mander？〃 the systems operator inquired。
〃We're supposed to be missile bait； Willy；〃 O'Malley replied amiably； and lifted off。
NORTH ATLANTIC
The southernmost Bear was within sixty miles of the convoy； but didn't yet know it； nor did the Americans； since he was below the horizon from Reuben James's radar。 The Bear's pilot did know that it was about time for the aircraft to climb and switch on their own search radars。 But word hadn't e yet from the raid mander。 Though there was no indication of trouble； the pilot was worried。 His instinct told him something strange was happening。 One of the Bears that had disappeared last week； reported tracking a single American frigate radar…nothing more。 Just like now 。 。 。 The raid mander then had aborted the Backfire mission for fear of enemy fighter activity； only to be dressed down for supposed cowardice。 As was so often the case in bat； the only data available were negative。 They knew that four Bears had not returned。 He knew that his raid mander had not yet given the expected order。 He knew there had not been any positive sign of trouble。 He also knew that he was not happy。
〃Estimated distance to that American frigate？〃 he asked over his inter。
〃One hundred thirty kilometers；〃 the navigator answered。
Maintain radio silence； the pilot told himself。 Those are the orders 。 。 。
〃Screw the orders！〃 he said aloud。 The pilot reached down and flipped on his radio。 〃Gull Two to Gull One； over。〃 Nothing。 He repeated the call twice more。
Lots of radio receivers heard that； and in less than a minute the Bear's position was plotted； forty miles southeast of the convoy。 A Tomcat dove after the contact。
The raid mander didn't answer 。 。 。 he would have answered； the pilot told himself。 He would have answered。 The Backfires should now be less than two hundred kilometers away。 〃What are we leading them into？
〃Activate the radar！〃 he ordered。
Every screen ship detected the distinctive emissions from the Big Bulge radar。 The nearest SAM…equipped ship； the frigate Groves； immediately energized her missile radars and fired a surface…to…air missile at the oning Bear…but the Tomcat fighter that was also racing toward the Bear was too close。 The frigate shut down her tracking radar； and the SMI missile lost radar lock and self…destructed automatically。
Aboard the Bear the warnings came back to back； first surface…to…air missile alarm； then an air…intercept radar…and then the radar operator acquired the convoy。
〃Many ships to the northwest。〃 The radar operator passed the information to the navigator； who worked out a position report for the Backfires。 The Bear shut down her radar and dove while the munications officer broadcast his sighting report。 And then everyone's radars lit up。
USS REUBEN JAMES
〃There are the Backfires；〃 the tactical action officer said as the symbols appeared on the scope。 〃Bearing zero…four…one； range one hundred eighty miles。〃
On the bridge the executive officer was as nervous as he would ever get。 In addition to the inbound bomber raid； he was now conning his ship exactly fifty feet from the side of HMS Battleaxe The ships were so close together that on a radarscope they'd appear as a single target。 Five miles away； O'Malley and the helicopter from Battleaxe were also flying close formation over the ocean at twenty knots。 Each had its blip…enhance transponder turned on。 Ordinarily too small to register on this sort of radar； the helicopters would now appear to be a ship； something worthy of a missile attack。
NORTH ATLANTIC
The air action now had all the elegance of a saloon fight。 The Tomcats on bat air patrol near the convoy flew toward the three Bears； the first of which already had a missile streaking toward it。 The