D+18 0401-0800 Zulu (27 July, 1987) Part I

North Atlantic Norfolk, Virginia, 0430 Zulu, 27 July, 1987 (0030 local time) As was the case with the majority of flag officers around the world in July of 1987, SACLANT was keeping strange hours. The ships and submarines he commanded were spread from the east coast of the US to the fringes of the Arctic …

The Politics of Global War: Cause and Effect D+13 (22 July, 1987) Part I

22 July, 1987 (D+13) was a consequential day in multiple theaters. Battles had been won and lost, and dispositions clarified. By the end of the day it became clear which side was winning, and which was losing in most theaters. Generally speaking however, the outcome of the war itself hung in the balance. Events on …

The North Atlantic D+13 (22 July, 1987) Part IX

The fraying remains of dozens of smoke trails still crisscrossed the sky. Fragments of chaff blooms floated down through the air like metallic flurries. Closer in, more menacing columns of black smoke announced points where the Kingfish and Kitchens had broken through the multi-layered defenses of Strike Fleet Atlantic and scored hits. The battle was …

The North Atlantic D+13 (22 July, 1987) Part VII

Author’s Note: Alright, I admit trying to finish up North Atlantic D+13 by this evening was a bridge too far. Next time I’ll conveniently remember not to insert foot in mouth and make an inadvisable claim. Sorry. 😊 As a result, the North Atlantic will wrap up Tuesday evening come hell or high water. –Mike …

The North Atlantic D+11 (20 July, 1987) Part III

It had taken longer than expected but on D+11 SACLANT secured HMS Illustrious and her escorts for operations in the Norwegian Sea and Barents. After the loss of Invincible, the British government became extremely reluctant to risk another Royal Navy aircraft carrier. Morale in Great Britain had taken a hit when news of Vince’s sinking …

The North Atlantic D+10 (19 July, 1987) Part II

The first half of D+10 in the Norwegian Sea resembled the end of a boxing round that had included a furious exchange of punches, teeth-rattling impacts, and embarrassing misses. Now the fighters were returning to their respective corners to recover, change tactics, and come out swinging again with blood in their eyes, and looking for …

The North Atlantic D+9 (18 July, 1987) Part VI

Kitty Hawk began recovering aircraft. The Tomcat-Hawkeye combination had performed magnificently, decimating Raid-1 as well as killing six Backfires from Raid-2 as they withdrew. Damage control efforts on Montcalm kept the French frigate afloat for two hours. A long enough period of time for casualties, and the surviving crewmen to be transferred to other ships. …

The North Atlantic D+9 (18 July, 1987) Part I

Following the destruction of the Victor II late on the previous night, Strike Fleet Atlantic’s commander (COMSTRIKFLTLANT) ordered a course change for Task Force 21.3. The carrier battlegroups that made up the task force turned southwest on a modified reverse course, hurriedly putting as much distance between the wreckage of the Victor II and the …

The North Atlantic D+3 (12 July, 1987) Part I

At 0556 EDT an ASM-135 Anti-Satellite missile launched from a US Air Force F-15A Eagle destroyed a Soviet Radar Ocean Reconnaissance Satellite (RORSAT) in low-earth orbit over the Labrador coast. The successful intercept would create a twelve hour hole in Soviet satellite coverage over the North Atlantic. The mission had been timed, planned, and undertaken …