Executive Intent

“Aircraft is slowing to six hundred seventy kilometers per hour, Captain,” the radar technician reported. “Still at ten thousand meters.”

“Very long-range, very high, very big plane, too fast for an unmanned patrol plane-it has to be an American bomber,” the tactical action officer said. He and the rest of the battle management team was in the Combat Information Center aboard the Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, steaming westward toward Aden, Yemen, in the Gulf of Aden. The Combat Information Center was filled with computer monitors; a team of fifteen enlisted and two officers manned the Putin’s radars and optical sensors and controlled the ship’s weapons. “The fighters should intercept in a few minutes.”

“I’ll notify the admiral,” the commanding officer of the Putin said. He picked up the “Red Phone,” which tied directly to the flag bridge. “Inbound patrol plane from the east, Admiral. We will intercept in a few minutes. Probably an American long-range bomber.”

“Not one of their Global Hawks, Captain?” the admiral asked.

“We will have visual identification shortly, sir. It appears to be traveling faster and at a lower altitude than the Global Hawks, and faster than a naval patrol plane.”

“Very well. Let me know if they do anything unusual. All defensive systems ready?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Very well. Carry on.”

“Yes, sir.” The captain hung up the phone. “I am surprised they can spare any bombers to harass us,” he said. “Gryzlov blew most of them into hell, and Gardner canceled the American Next Generation Bomber program in favor of more carriers. Yet here they are.”

“Standard procedures, sir?”

“Yes, standard procedures,” the captain said. “Radar silent, passive sensors only, plenty of videotape so we can complain about being harassed once again. Let the Americans have their fun. I am going topside to take some pictures.”

The admiral in charge of the Russian navy task force in the Gulf of Aden lit up a cigarette, then lifted another telephone before him on the instrument panel of the flag bridge. He had three watertight computer monitors, showing him radar images.

“This is Central,” a voice on the other end of the line said. “Admiral?”

“I was ordered to report when the American patrol plane approached the task force,” he said.

“And?”

“We do not have positive visual contact, but it appears to be flying faster and lower than the unarmed American Global Hawks.”

“You are talking in circles, Admiral,” the voice said curtly.

“What is it?”

“I believe it to be an American long-range bomber,” the admiral replied. “The Americans have a few B-1 and B-2 bombers stationed in Diego Garcia and occasionally in Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates.”

“Very well. Stand by.” And the line went dead.

The senior controller turned to General Andrei Darzov, who was in his command post at his headquarters in Moscow. “The task force has made contact with a large patrol plane to their east, believed to be an American long-range bomber, sir,” he said.

Darzov nodded, then picked up a telephone before him. “Mr. President, the Americans are sending their air patrols in. It does not appear to be an unmanned plane, but a bomber.”

“A bomber?” Russian president Igor Truznyev exclaimed. “Do they mean to attack the task force?”

“No, sir. I believe it is a typical show-of-force tactic. The typical profile is a high pass, followed by a low-altitude flyby.”

“And what are we doing while the Americans are allowed to do this so-called typical routine, General?”

“Well…very little, sir,” Darzov said. “We do not want to show any capabilities to the Americans. We usually turn off all radars except for standard search radars. Since the carrier Putin is part of the task force, we will scramble fighters to intercept, but they stay radar-silent. We usually photograph the intercept, but allow the plane to inspect the fleet. As part of our agreement, the Americans transmit air-traffic control codes and talk with our controllers.”

“And what is the American plane doing while we do nothing?” Truznyev asked, surprise in his voice.

“They fly around, take photographs and radar images, try to record any electromagnetic emissions,” Darzov said. “It is what the Americans call a ‘photo opportunity.’ The plane will probably make a showy pass near the carrier, wag its wings, and be gone. It is all for show, sir.”

“I do not understand any of this,” Truznyev said. Then, after a short pause: “And I do not allow it. Keep that bomber away from the task force, General.”

“But, sir…this has all been agreed in advance,” Darzov said. “Our air attaché in Washington coordinates all this with their Pentagon. One plane, air-traffic control codes, a simple flyby, no overflight, no visible weapons, no open bomb doors, no supersonic flight, no electronic jamming-it is all very routine-”

“I do not care, General,” Truznyev said. “I do not like pretending we accept or allow the Americans to fly attack aircraft near our fleet. If it is confirmed as an attack plane, I want it kept away from the task force…by any means necessary.”