Arctic Storm Rising by Dale Brown (android based ebook reader .TXT) 📕

“I agree completely, Mr. President,” Petrov told him. “But this is what we have left ahead of us if we follow ordinary, peacetimeevaluation protocols.” He activated another control. The sleek, manta-shaped PAK-DA bomber vanished from his audience’s sight,replaced by a long, dreary-looking, official Air Force timetable that listed, in mind-numbing detail, the remaining technicalmilestones required to qualify Tupolev’s prototype aircraft for production. He watched the president’s frown deepen to anexasperated scowl and exulted inside. “That’s why I would like your permission to try something very different: a rigorous,complex, and realistic exercise designed to assess the full range of our new strategic bomber’s strike capabilities. A singledifficult flight test that would cut through much of the typical bureaucratic bullshit if it succeeds—and shave months offthe timetable even if it fails.”

With the ostentatious wave of a single hand, he erased the image of the official schedule from their smart glasses. In itsplace, a glowing phrase appeared, big enough to cover the digital map of Russia from west to east: Operatsiya Prizrachnyy Udar.

“Operation Ghost Strike?” Zhdanov said slowly.

Petrov nodded. He touched another control. It triggered a series of exciting, computer-generated visuals that matched his verbal presentation perfectly—thanks to advanced voice-recognition software that sent specific graphics to their high-tech eyewear whenever he used the appropriate keywords. “Under Ghost Strike, the PAK-DA prototype will be tasked with conducting a simulated cruise missile strike against the Pacific Fleet’s anchorage and its Naval Aviation air bases around Vladivostok, in the Far East. To enhance the realism of this exercise, the aircraft will carry its full wartime payload of Kh-102 cruise missiles, K-74M2 heat-seeking missiles for self-defense, and fuel. Thus loaded, it will depart from base at 1700 hours and proceed toward its assigned targets in darkness, on a moonless night—”

As he laid out the plan, an image of the bomber prototype took off from Russia’s primary strategic bomber base, Engels-2,seven hundred kilometers southeast of Moscow. It turned east, flying low across the Central Asian steppes and onward towardthe towering Ural Mountains. “Naturally, the fleet itself and all of our other Eastern Military District air defense forceswill be on full alert, ready for just such an attack.”

More images appeared before the audience’s eyes, depicting a web of intricate, layered defenses around Petrov’s intended targets.These included sophisticated radars, surface-to-air missile regiments, and roving fighter patrols. “No easy task,” the RussianNavy’s senior admiral commented dryly. “One bomber against dozens of SAM launchers and some of our best interceptors? No matterhow impressive the technology built into this new prototype of yours truly is, Colonel, you’ll still be massively outnumbered.And after all, quantity has a quality all its own,” he finished, quoting Stalin.

Petrov nodded. “That’s precisely the point, Admiral.” He turned to Zhdanov. “Win or lose, this exercise will yield a hugeamount of invaluable real-world data on the PAK-DA—including its long-range endurance, air-to-air refueling capability, low-levelpenetrating stealth characteristics, and electronic warfare systems. We would be compressing months of more conventional testingand validation into a single demonstration flight.”

“Allowing us to field a force of combat-ready stealth bombers that much more quickly?” the president asked.

“Yes, sir,” Petrov said firmly.

Zhdanov was visibly impressed. Besides speeding up the progress of the PAK-DA program, the colonel’s proposal offered the possibility of scoring a propaganda coup of the first magnitude—one that should rouse patriotic spirits here at home and unnerve potential enemies abroad. Best of all, it wouldn’t matter whether or not the bomber prototype actually succeeded in scoring simulated hits on its targets this time. If Petrov and his copilot actually managed to penetrate the powerful defenses arrayed against them, it would show the world that Russia now had its own highly capable strategic stealth bomber. And even a failure could be spun to “prove” that America’s own vaunted B-2 Spirit and B-21 Raider stealth aircraft were no match for Russia’s combination of powerful radars, deadly surface-to-air missiles, and fast, agile interceptors.

The president glanced at those around him. “Comments, gentlemen?”

“The colonel’s proposed Ghost Strike is certainly audacious, Mr. President. Who knows? It might even work out the way he hopes,”a stocky, bull-necked man seated three chairs down from the president said bluntly. Major General Vasily Mavrichev was thechief of Russia’s Long-Range Aviation Force. He had a vested interest in the PAK-DA program. Once the first stealth bombersreached operational status, they would fall under his direct command. But he was also known as an advocate for tried-and-truetactics and procedures, with an abiding distrust of anything new, let alone anything that might be considered revolutionary.“However, I don’t like the idea of the PAK-DA carrying armed cruise missiles on what’s really just a glorified training exercise.In my judgment, that’s an unnecessary risk factor.” He shrugged his broad shoulders. “I recommend that we load practice missileswith dummy warheads instead.”

Petrov hid his irritation. Mavrichev’s opposition to that part of his Ghost Strike plan was no surprise. But he could not afford to concede the point. Without real Kh-102s aboard the bomber when it took off, this whole operation was pointless. “Since we’ve already proved that the PAK-DA prototype is perfectly airworthy, the risk is minimal,” he argued, aiming his words at Zhdanov rather than the general. “Besides, we don’t have enough practice missiles in our arsenal to make up a complete weapons load. We’d be taking off light, which would not come close to replicating a real-life combat sortie.”

“So we build more of the dummy weapons,” Mavrichev countered stubbornly.

“Adding more delay and more expense,” Petrov retorted. “And for no good reason. Sooner or later, we’ll have to certify thePAK-DA’s readiness to carry a full payload of live missiles. It’s one of our key program milestones. Why not achieve it nowif we can, considerably ahead of schedule?”

Zhdanov saw his point. “The colonel makes sense, Vasily Ivanovich,” he said to Mavrichev. “As the Americans say, ‘He’s gotthe ball, let him run with it.’” Smiling broadly, he turned back to Petrov. “You won’t let us down, will you, Colonel?”

“Absolutely not, Mr. President,” Petrov promised. He matched Zhdanov’s smile. “In