[BATTLE] Valid Launch Order

Battle

#USS Michigan (SSGN-727)

On September 4, 2019, the USS Florida and USS Michigan, two Ohio-Class SSGNs were deployed by the U.S. Pacific Fleet Command under orders to penetrate the waters the Chinese claimed as their own in the South China Sea. They were told to open their next orders on September 9, when they were to arrive at their target.

The Captain and the X.O. returned to the Captain's cabin on the 9th of September, where they both turned their keys to open the safe containing their new orders. Both expected just a Freedom of Navigation Patrol, and were shocked when they opened the manila folder to slide out a crisp sheet of white paper with the following printed below;

###United States Navy Pacific Fleet Command

From the desk of Admiral Scott H. Swift

Vessels USS Florida (SSGN-728) and USS Michigan (SSGN-727) are to deploy to the South China Sea on 4 September, 2019 and sail to the enclosed coordinates 80 Nautical Miles from the Chinese Military Base at Cuarteron Reef. SSGNs 727 and 728 are to travel at 800 foot depth at all times, maintaining radio silence until the coordinates are reached. Both SSGNs are to climb to a depth of 200 feet, where accurate targeting for 154 Tomahawk Cruise Missiles will be achieved for all Chinese Military Targets in the region.

Godspeed.

"Weapons, Conn! This is the Captain. Shift targeting to Target Package Tomahawk SLCM 978567/42/75. Over."

The X.O. immediately resisted this order. This would mean war with China. An unavoidable war after the killing of thousands of Chinese Troops. This is a direct attack on a nuclear weapons state. He refused to repeat the order and was relieved from his position. After attempting to attack the Commanding Officer, it became apparent that the Executive Officer was mentally incapable. Under charges of mutiny, the Master at Arms and 2 sailors arrived with AR-15s and Shotguns to escort him to his cabin.

In the Missile Launch compartment of the USS Michigan, the encrypted communications system crackled to life as Pacific Command transmitted the final launch order to the subs.

"Skybird, this is Dropkick with a red-dash Alpha message in two parts. Romeo, Oscar, November, Oscar, Charlie, Lima, Lima, Alpha, Zulu. Authentication: Two-Two-Zero-Zero-Four-Zero-Delta-Lima."

"Valid Message. Standby to authenticate" And so the two missileers broke their launch cards to reveal the same codes they had just written down.

"Valid Launch code. Launch code confirmed. Target selection complete. Time on target sequence complete. Yield selection complete." And so the missile team each pulled a single silver key, unused, out of their chest pockets and inserted them into the consoles in front of them, perfectly spaced so no one man can fire the SLCMs.

"Insert Launch Key and turn to 'set' on my mark. 3. 2. 1. Mark! --- Enable missiles 1 through 154 now." Switches were rapidly flipped, arming each and every Tomahawk missile on the USS Michigan.

"All missiles enabled. On my mark, enable launch keys to 'launch'"

"Roger, ready to go to launch!"

"5... 4... 3... 2... 1... Launch!"

The missile tubes of the USS Michigan and the Florida opened at 200 feet under the South China Sea, releasing over 300 Tomahawk Submarine Launched Cruise Missiles into the air, thundering across the sky at low altitude towards their targets; Chinese Naval and Air Bases in the Cuarteron Reef.

The strike did not go as planned at all. Chinese Air Defence Batteries in the form of S-400 and S-500 batteries, as well as HQ-9 "Red Banner" batteries, supplemented by Over the Horizon Radar Systems managed to detect the missiles on launch and pinpoint the launch coordinates. All ships at Cuarteron were put to sail immediately, save for one undergoing refueling. Missile batteries whirred and whined as they turned to acquire the incoming targets. The Tomahawks traveling at 550 MPH had no reaction as they were acquired and targeted. The USS Michigan and USS Florida, launching from different positions did manage to throw off some Chinese Air Defence missile, however. 23 missiles, to be exact. The Chinese realised their mistake when the sound of the Tomahawks came into earshot. The first SLCM scored a direct hit on Chinese Coast Guard Ship Haijian 84, a 1,740 ton Type-II-Cutter, hitting just above the waterline, letting water rush into the hull. Chinese sailors just waking up from their sleep found themselves suffocating as they struggled to open the steel Watertight doors to no avail. The magnetic locks were engaged on the bridge by the officer of the watch, effectively drowning his 47 comrades sleeping below deck. Each and every sailor save for 3 would drown on Haijian 84. A few other direct hits managed to do minor damage to the Chinese airstrip at Cuarteron Reef, as well as destroying a hangar, and the three Chengdu J-20s inside, along with their pilots who had just received a scramble order.

For the next 13 hours, 457 Depth Charges would be dropped across the SCS in a desperate hunt of the two renegade SSGNs who had ended the lives of their comrades. The sailors on the sub remained silent for fear of being heard by Chinese sailors who were listening. All that could be heard below the waves were the loud blasts of depth charges and their aftershocks. No man would move, cough, sneeze, or speak for 13 hours. Chinese Y-8GX4 Medium Transport Aircraft dropped 20 torpedoes that day, whenever a target was acquired in the region. The U.S. Subs split up after three close calls with Chinese Torpedoes. Eventually, the Chinese figured the subs must have moved on to a new area, and so they carried on. The US subs have made their escape and have arrived at Wake Atoll, a U.S. Naval Base in the Central Pacific.

#Results

Chinese bases in the Cuarteron Reef receives 23 direct hits, damaging hangars and cratering the runway. All defence and radar systems remain operational.
1 Chinese Coast Guard Cutter sunk.
76 Chinese Sailors and Aviators die in the barrage.
USS Michigan and USS Florida escape the scene.

Posted Apr 23, 2017, 6:14 PM UTC · edited

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