NationStates Jolt Archive

Operation Ocean Cocao

OOC: This will end up much like "Clear and Present Danger" except with subs instead of F-15s and special forces


Prologue

Colombian Presidential Compound

"Glad you could see us," said President Jugo Javier as IDF's President Kenny Williams stepped into the high ceilinged office of the Colombian President. The room was 375 square feet, much larger than Williams' office of 200 square feet. The ceiling was 25 feet high with large bullet proof windows facing a courtyard. Hanging 7 feet down from the ceiling was a large gold chandaleir.

"Thank you for having us," said Williams. "What is it you want to talk to me about?" Williams knew what it was thanks to his Mossad, but he didn't want to let on to that fact.

"Well you know about the cartel and the problems," said Javier. "The cartel is buying mercenaries and actually engaging our troops in war. They have joined up with other rebels that wish to destroy our democracy."

"How bad is it really," asked Williams. He did not know how bad it was. Mossad hadn't gotten that far.

"Well," began an uneasy Javier. "They are massacreing our villagers if they don't join them. They have even begun to buy naval warships to attack other drug ships and pirate them to fund their war."

"And you want us to help how," asked Williams guessing what was coming next.

"We need you to covertly destroy their warships," said Javier. "If they are not stopped soon, our forces will be overwhelmed and the Colombian people will pay the price for it. Can you do that?"

"I'll have to talk it over with Secretaries Phillips and Angelo," began Williams. "Plus Admiral Joseph Jacobson will need to be informed as we will use his assets. Well short answer is yes."

"Good," said Javier.

"I'll need to return to my embassy to talk to them," said Williams. "I'll be back a few hours early for the state dinner to talk over what we will do."

IDF embassy, Bogota, Colombia

"Well what do you think?" asked Williams after brieing the Secretaries of War and State in along with CNO Admiral Joseph Jacobson.

"Well," began Secretary of State Ted Phillips. "I agree we must support our ally and would normally be against such actions, but we are fighting piracy here and protecting a nation. We normally wouldn't interfere with drug ships so long as they aren't headed for us, but warships attacking innocent civilians is not drug running and is piracy and murder. I'll have to be for this action. Plus, it is suppose to be an action where no one knows it happened or we did it"

"I agree," said Secretary of War Jerry Angelo. "We must do this as an unstable Colombia will lead to more piracy and can destablize much of the World, especially the oceans."

"Good," said Williams. "Admiral Jacobson, this will be your operation. What will you plan on doing?"

"Well," began the Admiral from his bridge on the USS Ozzie Guillen. "The sticking point is that this must be a stealth mission, so I'll use submarines. I plan on sending 3 SSNs out initially to conduct the strikes on the rogue warships. Of course I will need a sub tender out in the Atlantic to help deal with this. I'll send the ISS McKee as our tender along with the Arco floating drydock. I can task 1 Upholder SSK to defend our open seas base."

"Sounds good," said Williams. "I also want to make sure we can get recon from the Colombians and they will do it. Anything more Admiral?"

"Yes Sir," said Jacobson. "I want to point out that we can ensure secresy in the fact that the enemy doesn't make it public knowledge they have warships so when we attack, we can be sure they won't go screaming ot the world about it."

"That is very important," said Williams. "Now if you'll excuse me secretaries and Admiral. I have to meet President Javier now."

The meeting went well. Javier was pleased with the plan presented and the state dinner went well. Williams flew home to Jerusalem. The operation up to Admiral Jacobson. President Williams wanted to keep a hands off approach has he knew what happened when Chiefs of State messed in military affairs.

don't you just hate when they say...

TO BE CONTINUED!!!
OOC: the real story begins when it is continued. This was just the set up

The Operation Begins

Admiral Jacobson was quick to find good subs under his command to send out. The sub tender ISS MCKEE, floating drydock ARGO, and Upholder class sub ISS UNSEEN were already en route to the mid-Atlantic as the logistical support for the mission.

The subs that Jacobson selected were the Galaxy class sub ISS Galiant SSN-804 commanded by Captain Robert Schwartz, Galaxy class ISS Victory SSN-792 commanded by Commander Jim Gatz, and the new Halibut class sub ISS Halibut SSN-841 commanded by up and rising star Commander Hyman G. Rickover IV (great-grandson of the legendary US Navy Admiral).

The 1st sub out was the Galiant. She left Haifa under the dark of night and made a run at 25 knots for Gibraltar. After clearing the straights at a much slower rate, she went at 35 knots to where the logistic team was and where the group would have their final meeting with Commodore Matt Claysen, the commander of the Submarine Squadron.

Next came the oldest ship in the group, the 12 year old Victory. She was a few years away from a refueling. She took the same route at Galiant.

Leaving 12 hours later was the new Halibut. She was the newest and best sub in the fleet and a first of class. It was also Commander Rickover's 1st command. He had qualified for command only 6 months before and oversaw the sea trials of his newly commissioned sub.

It was 11 p.m. local time when the harbor tug nudged Halibut out from her port for her 1st operatonal deployment cruise. After 15 minutes of being under tug power and being guided by a harbor pilot, Commander Rickover took control from his conning station atop the sail. The ship's ballast was blown out so the crew could enjoy 30 more minutes of fresh air in the moonless night. "ahead 1/3," called Rickover down through the bridge telephone to Lt. Mike North, the helm officer. "rudder right 5 degrees, steer course 265."

25 minutes later, Rickover ordered the deck and bridge cleared and the ship rigged for dive. When Rickover left the conning station, he double locked the hatch and climbed down the sail into the control room and closed a hatch to the sail. Fifteen minutes later, the ship was rigged for dive.

"Dive the boat," ordred Rickover. "Depth 1-5-0 feet down 5 bubble." The XO then repeated the order.

"Dive! Dive! Dive!" yelled the COB into the 1MC as the dive alarm rang it's loud buzzer 3 times. At 150 feet, she leveled out and sped up to 25 knots and then dove even deeper. She could go deeper and faster than any other IDF submarine due to her titanium hull and liquid metal reactor. The idea to try the new reactor on IDF subs came from Commander Rickover himself. After all, his grandfather had tried to put such a reactor on the USS Seawolf SSN-575 in the late 1950's, but technological problems hurt the reactor, but with 21st century technology and some ingenuity, they got it to work and build the Halibut class SSNs to incorporate the new reactor, a fitting tribute to Halibut's CO's great-grandfather.

5 days later

All SSNs were moored with the McKee after their long transit at flank speed, they were sprinting and drifting the whole way. The SSK ISS Unseen was out on perimeter working in conjunction with LAMPS III ASW birds from the McKee.

The senior officers of the three boats assembled in McKee's warroom where Commodore Roger Goldman briefed them on their mission.

After filling them in on the background, he began with the mission details. "You are going to have free hunting rights on any warship that is operated by the rebels. We need positive ID before firing so you will have to get it some way. Colombian patrol planes and IDF planes can help with that along with satelites. When you need more provisions or repair, you are to report to this area where we will reload you for your next mission. Loadouts are to be mainly Mk-48s, Harpoons, and TASMs. We don't see a need for TLAMs. But, if needed, we will be able to provide them to you from the ISS McKee You will have to travel here to get them."

"Where will we operate from?" asked Halibut's XO.

"I want you on the Eastern end of the Gulf and in the central Atlantic Ocean," answered Goldman. "Admiral Jacobson is running this operation and will if need be tell you where to go if a major target is spotted. Intel will guide you." That commend generated a general grunt as Naval Inteligence was not too good at their job and was the butt of jokes in Submarine wardrooms.

"Are we to sink the drugboats themselves?" asked Commander Rickover.

"Not unless they are headed for IDF or on a return trip from another nation," said Goldman. "Now I must stress the secresy here. You are not to tell your crewmen or junior officers what you are doing. That is clear right?" There were nods. "Dismissed."

24 hours after the briefing ended, the subs went to their preassigned patrol boxes.

:tagged:

Ooc: Tag

bump as I write the next chapter

First Contact

The Israeli State Submarine Halibut had been running through her patrol box for 96 hours. Nothing had happened since she arrived on station. None of the other two boats had had anything eventful happen. The Halibut was patroling just East of the Gulf of Mexico in 12,000 feet of water. She was at a depth of 800 feet.

"Conn, Radio," called Ensign Scott Ryan. "New message on the ELF ordering us to comms depth."

"Helm," called Commander Rickover. "Take us up 15 degrees to Periscope depth at 65 feet." The submarine took almost 10 minutes at her slow speed to make it up. Upon reaching the set depth, the Commander ordered the ESM mast. There was a light signature detected to the bearing of 210. The mast was lowered and replaced with the comms antenna. A message was copied from it.

TO ISS HALIBUT
FROM IDF SUBRON 3 COMMAND

080010OCT2004
2485 0384 9375 1354 4895

COLOMBIAN P-3C ORIONS SPOTTED 4 ENEMY FFGs OR DDGs COMING EAST TOWARDS YOUR POSITION. THEY RECENTLY ATTACKED A VILLAGE THAT WOULD NOT JOIN THE REBELLION. THEY ARE OF OLDER AMERICAN AND RUSSIAN CLASSES.

YOUR TASKING IS TO TAKE THEM OUT HOWEVER POSSIBLE. THEY ARE ABOUT 115 MILES FROM YOUR CURRENT POSITION AND MOVING AT 20 KNOTS.

GOOD HUNTING

2485 0384 9375 1354 4895

"Lower the comms mast!" ordered an excited Rickover. "Raise the RADAR mast."

"Sir," said the Radio Officer. "I have 4 large contacts in the signature of warships bearing 210 range 105 miles. Radar shows them as 2 Sovremennys, 1 Knox, and a Kidd."

"Lower the mast," ordered Rickover. "Dive the ship, down 15 degrees for depth 400 feet. Left full rudder, steer course 2-1-0. Ahead Standard. Make turns for 15 knots."

The various bridge officers repeated their orders and followed them to the letter.

Once the ship reached the set depth Rickover used the intercon to talk to the torpedo crew. "Load tubes 1-4 with Mk-48s and tubes 5-6 with Harpoons. Ready the tubes in all aspects in 30 minutes and open outer doors."

Rickover ordered the sub to turn 30 degrees to starboard to allow the TB-32 thin line array's hydrophones to detect the ships.

45 minutes after the orders were received activity began. "Conn, SONAR! New contacts bearing 209-211. I think there are four of them. The're suface ships moving fast and cavitating. Designating them as Sierras 11-14." Upon realizing these were also the Romeo contacts, they were given the designations Masters 1-4. The Sovremennys were 1 and 2, the Kidd 3, and the Knox 4.

"Conn, Aye," answered Rickover. "XO, get a tracking party and a TMA solution on them! Mann battlestations torpedo!"

"Battlestations aye!" answered the XO knowing this game was no deadly serious.

"General Quarters! General Quarters! All hands man battlestations torpedo!" yelled the COB into the 1MC.

About 15 minutes later the tracking party had good solutions on all 4 targets.

"Torpedo room," called Rickover. Set tubes 1-4 on masters 1-4. 1 torp per ship." When that was done, the next order came. "Match bearings and shoot!"

The Mk-48 mod 5 ADCAPs had a range of 30K yards and the range was from 20-22K on the 4 targets. The targets were running fast and cavitating making them easy targets and unable to hear the incoming fish.

The torp from tube 1 went for Master 4, the Knox class frigate that was running ahead of the fleet. She was an aging American built ASW frigate built in Baltimore in 1971. She had outdated gear and a poorly trained crew. The torpedo hit her 100 feet aft of her bow on the port side. The 800 lb warhead snapped her keel and broke 95 feet of the forward end off of the aft portion of the ship. The steel groaned and cracked as the forward section took a 35 degree list to port and completly broke off of the main hull. The gun ammo room was exposed by this and the fires from the torpedo explosion cooked off the shells blowing up the forward superstructure. Secondary explosions continued for 5 minutes as the fuel bunkers and missile magazines went next. The only survivors were 16 crewmen who jumped off the aft end when they saw the bow portion break off.

The torp from tube 2 went for a Soviet built Sovremmeny built DDG. It hit is amidships on the starboard side. The starboard diesel bunker went sending the superstructure up in flames and killing all the officers leaving poorly trained enlisted men to fight the fires and regain control of their dying destroyer. The ship took a 15 degree list to starboard. The men decided to abandon ship in an everyman for himself fashion. Of the 400 man crew, 120 made it only to drown, die of dehydration, or be eaten by sharks. 100 were killed in the initial explosion and more died bravely fighting the fires or were trapped in the hull as she burned for 5 hours before capsizing and sinking.

The 3rd torpedo went for the Kidd class DDG. The ship's CO saw the 1st two hits and ordered evasive maneuvers, but it was worth nothing. The torpedo hit her in the aft port quarter. The hit blew out her drive shafts and engine plants leaving her on nothing but batteries. There were fires on the lower three decks, but this as a mercenary crew that was trained well to deal with fires. 45 crewmen were killed instantly by the explosion and fires when they were working in the aft engine spaces. 25 more died in the fires until they were out, but pumping the water in to fight and flooding caused a 10 degree port list and a downward angle aft. Flooding was contained, but the ship was crippled. The captain ordered all junior enlisted men off as the chiefs and officers would try and save her as they got a message off to their commanders.

The 4th torpedo hit the other Sovremenny in the after missile batteries. The torpedo penetrated the armor and caused severe explosions as the Shipwreck missiles aboard cooked off incinerating the aft end of the ship as all hands were killed.

During this whole time, the Halibut was at Periscope depth. Rickover had the RADAR raised and saw only the Kidd survived.
"Fire Harpoon tube 5 at Master 3! Reload tubes 1-4 with Mk-48s and tube 5 with a Harpoon. Secure from battlestations"

The harpoon went in at 550 knots for the Kidd. Half the crew was off by now as they were still in the process of abandoning ship. The 500 lb warhead struck the ship in the forward gun turret causing a massive explosion that sent shrapnel and fire througout the ship. Secondary explosions destroyed the watertight compartments. The flooding aft was now uncontrollable and the forward end was ablaze. In 15 minutes the Kidd class DDG slid under the waves for her 1st and final time.

The 1st mission for Halibut was a success. But, the fact that the Kidd got a message off meant that the Rebel Admirals knew that there was something to hunt.

bump

bump, another chapter is coming tomorrow.