Scenario 12 - Hunter or Hunted
Another submarine scenario. We need to intercept a Soviet surface group centered on the aviation cruiser Kiev. Under our command are just 3 nuclear powered attack submarines: The Sturgeon-class USS Tinosa, the one-of-a-kind USS Narwhal and the British Churchill-class HMS Courageous. In addition we get some airborne electronic intelligence gathering by 3 RC-135 Rivet Joint from Sondrestrom Air Base in Greenland.
The US subs are armed with the potent Mk48 torpedoes as well as SUBROC and ASTOR nuclear missiles/torpedoes. HMS Courageous is armed just with lousy 28 kts Mk23 anti-submarine torpedoes and WWII era Mk8 Straight-Runners (the torpedoes used by HMS Conqueror to sink the Argentine cruiser General Belgrano during the Falkland War).
The Kresta II and Krivak escorts, as well as Kiev itself, have a potent low frequency active sonar and are all armed with long range rocket/missile deployed torpedoes and nuclear depth charges. And of course Kiev also brings along a 10-20 ASW helicopters. Getting close enough for a good shot should be difficult.
USS Narwhal detects a whale. Shortly into scenario we get an intel update with the last reported position, course and speed of Kiev. With its projected course, our three subs are ordered into position to set up an ambush in 10 hours.
After one hour the RC-135 on patrol north of Spitsbergen starts to pick up radar emissions form a Krivak frigate and Kanin destroyer. But these are actually way ahead of the projected position of Kiev.
On her way, USS Tinosa makes several acoustic intercept contacts of medium and high frequency active sonars. This might be an independent ASW group. The signature points towards smaller ships. We try to avoid them by plotting a large detour, which seems to be successful.
Almost 7 hours after scenario start. Several active sonar intercepts are coming from further north. This might be our target group but it is about 30 NM off from where we expected it. Our subs need to make a sprint to get into position, which is quite dangerous. USS Narwhal moves to a intercept point at moderate 15 kts, HMS Courageous sprints at flank speed to a position ahead to lie in wait (she needs to be “run over” to use her torpedoes). USS Tinosa moves at 20 kts but has little hope to intercept the primary target.
The Krivak and the Kanin still seem to be between Spitsbergen and the small, long island. Looks like they are doing a barrier patrol and can be ignored.
Narwhal reaches a good position and makes sonar contact with Kiev at 8 NM. HMS Courageous also gets into a good position ahead. USS Tinosa interrupts her run as she makes picks up active intercepts of another low frequency sonar pretty close. With Kiev already accounted for, this might be a Kresta II. She will initiate an attack on this target.
At a distance of 7 NM, Narwhal settles below the thermal layer and launches a salvo of 4 Mk48 against Kiev.
The torpedoes are detected pretty soon and most enemy ships break EMCON in defense. The RC-135 Rivet Joint now collects all the signals and quickly identifies all ships. The lead has a Krivak I frigate, north of it a Kynda cruiser. Kiev is in the center as expected, being trailed by another Krivak. And on the left flank, as suspected, a Kresta II cruiser.
It seems as when Kiev went all out with emissions, it picked up the RC-135 on its air search radar 150 NM away, as the Rivet Joint picks up signals from two Yak-38 fighters. Time to turn tail and throttle up.
Kiev is running at full speed, but the torpedoes catch up. Meanwhile, also USS Tinosa takes a shot of two Mk48 against her Kresta II cruiser.
Just some minutes later, Tinosa picks up a helo dipping sonar 4 NM east of her.
Kiev is struck by 3 Mk48, the fourth apparently malfunctions. For the moment the big ship is still afloat, and by now out of range for a follow up shot. Narwhal has to close again.
Narwhal is launching her second salvo of 4 Mk48. Two against the limping Kiev and two against a Kynda cruiser approaching from the north-west. To the east, Tinosa’s torpedoes are running down the Kresta II.
Just short of connecting, both Mk48 targeted at the Kresta II run out of fuel and disable.
Narwhal fares better and scores another two hits on Kiev, but the aviation cruiser is still alive. The Kynda is also hit once, with the second weapon being a dud. Both the Kiev and the Kynda now sit dead in the water.
Narwhal is about the get low on weapons. Only two more Mk48 are left to be loaded. The other two tubes are loaded with an old NT-37C torpedo and the sub’s sole ASTOR nuclear torpedo. This would have been a good weapon to attack Kiev, but it lacks the performance of Mk48.
Its not long until a helo dips it sonar just 2 NM behind Narwhal. This is probably the the beginning of her end. Shortly after an object is detected splashing into the water above the sub and it is being vaporized by the detonation of a 80kt nuclear depth charge. 13 second later, the underwater shock wave reaches HMS Courageous 11 NM away and crushes this sub too!
Now Tinosa gets the attention of two helos. The dipping sonars are probably still out of range, but now it seems only a question of time. With foresight, one torpedo tube is loaded with a UUM-44A SUBROC. There is still hope that Kiev will sink after taking 5 Mk48. But if Tinosa is threatened to be sunk, we are going to send a 10 kt nuclear depth charge right next to Kiev as long as we still can.
30 minutes after last contact, Kiev is reported has having sunk.
After another hour, also the Kynda sinks.
Tinosa moves into position to launch another attack on the Kresta II, launching two Mk48 at 6 NM. This time, both weapons connect, sinking the cruiser.
To the west and south are Krivak I frigates which seem to head in Tinosa’s general direction at high speed. But as the cruiser is sunk, they seem to turn away to their original heading. As the Krivaks move away, Tinosa tries to call it a day and retreat.
But all the sunken ships seemed to have raised attention from the the ASW groups that have been monitored around the island to the east, as another Kresta II and a Kanin destroyer approach the area. Tinosa needs to engage again, launching two Mk48 at the approaching Kresta II at 6 NM.
Tinosa’s position has again raised the interest of a lot of ships around, even if the sub itself still remains undetected. At least the helo menace seems to be over with the sinking of Kiev.
The second Kresta II is run down and sunk by the first Mk48.
Next, a Kanin destroyer and a Krivak frigate are attacked with a single torpedo each. It seems as if the lesser ships are unable to detect the weapons. The Kanin is hit but stays afloat, the weapon targeting the Krivak is spoofed by a towed decoy. A follow up shot kills the Kanin.
I could continue to attack the various smaller warships around, but I don’t want to stress our luck. With the primary target plus a couple of major warships sunk, the mission is completed and our remaining SSN is woth more than all remaining enemy ships combined. Tinosa finds an opening to the south and retreats.
After 12 hours USS Tinosa passes Bear Island and has successfully disengaged from he combat area.
That was actually pretty fun 
