Rogue Forces

“You can tell them what we did after we launch this booster.”

“This booster, this mission belongs to the U.S. Air Force! I’m not going to let you hijack an Air Force missile.”

“I’m sorry to hear you say that, Major,” the pilot said kindly…just as the flight engineer reached up behind the MC, stuck a stun gun on the Air Force officer’s neck, and pressed the switch, instantly knocking him unconscious.

“How long will he stay out, Jim?” the pilot asked.

“Couple hours, I think.”

“Long enough,” the pilot said. He clicked the intercom: “Okay, John, send him up.” A few moments later the Air Force technician assigned to monitor the launch entered the flight deck, and he, too, was stunned unconscious by the flight engineer. “Okay, while the NIRTSats are reprogrammed by the front office in Vegas by satellite, I need a potty break before we rendezvous with the tanker. Double-check the new launch plan. Good job, everyone. Thanks for thinking on your feet. We’ll all deserve a raise after this…if we’re not in prison, that is.”

“Where’s the new tasking?” the launch deck technician asked.

“Turkey,” the pilot said. “Looks like the shit is hitting the fan out there.”

MARDIN PROVINCE, SOUTHEAST TURKEY

EARLY THAT EVENING

“Radar contact! Radar contact!” the tactical control officer, or TAO, of the area Turkish Patriot surface-to-air missile regiment shouted. “Multiple inbound contacts, medium altitude, medium subsonic, heading straight for us. It’s going to enter Syrian airspace in three minutes.”

The tactical director, or TD, studied the Patriot radar display. “Medium speed, not maneuvering, medium altitude—probably reconnaissance drones,” he said. “How many?”

“Eight. They’re heading right for our radar sites.”

“I don’t want to waste missiles on drones,” he said, “but we’re supposed to seal this sector.” He thought for a moment, then said, “If they change altitude, engage. Otherwise we’ll try to get them with antiaircraft artillery.”

“What if they dive onto our radar sites, sir?” the TAO asked.

“I don’t know of any cruise missiles that start at a vulnerable altitude, then dive onto their targets,” the tactical director said. “Attack missiles will fly very low or very high. This one is right in the envelope for antiaircraft artillery. Heck, even the lousy Syrian gunners might have a chance to nail them. Watch them for now. If they start to accelerate or descend, we’ll—”

“Sir, Sector Four reports multiple inbound bogeys as well!” the communications officer shouted. That sector was the one adjacent to them in the east. “Another eight bogeys, medium altitude, medium subsonic, also headed for our radar sites!”

“Sixteen reconnaissance drones, all flying into Turkey at the exact same time…and from where?” the tactical director said aloud. “Turkey attacked all of the American bases this morning. There is no way they could launch so many drones so soon. They have to be air-launched.”

“Or they could be false targets, like the last time we launched,” the TAO said.

Sixteen targets…that meant thirty-two Patriots, since Patriot always launched two missiles at every target to ensure a kill. Thirty-two Patriots represented every launcher in the regiment. If they launched every missile at drones or false targets, it would represent a massive waste of missiles, and would leave them vulnerable until they were reloaded, which would take about thirty minutes.

The tactical director picked up the phone and passed all the information to the Sector Air Defense Coordinator in Diyarbakir. “Shoot them down,” the sector coordinator said. “They’re on an attack profile. Check your systems for any sign of spoofing.”

“Acknowledged,” the tactical director said. “TAO, prepare for—”

“Sir, they are starting to orbit,” the TAO shouted. “They’re right along the border, some in Syria. It looks like they’re orbiting.”

“Reconnaissance drones,” the TD said, relieved. “Continue to monitor. What about Sector Four’s bogeys?”

“Starting to orbit as well, sir,” the TAO said.

“Very well.” The TD needed a cigarette, but he knew that would not be possible until these things were out of his area. “Keep an eye on those things and…”

“Bandits!” the TAO shouted suddenly. “Four targets inbound, high subsonic, extreme low altitude, range forty miles!”

“Engage!” the TAO said immediately. “Batteries released! All batteries…!”

“The drones are leaving their orbits, accelerating, and descending!”

Damn, the tactical director thought, they just went from on alert to under attack in the blink of an eye. “Prioritize the high-speed bandits,” he said.

“But the drones are closing in!” the TAO said. “Patriot is prioritizing the drones!”

“I’m not going to waste missiles on drones,” the TD said. “The fast movers are the real threat. Change priorities and engage!”

But that decision obviously wasn’t going to stand, because it was soon obvious that the drones were going straight for the Patriot phased-array radars. “Should I switch priorities, sir—”