Ice Station Nautilus Read Online Free

Dakota ’s Sonar Supervisor, standing behind the sonar consoles on the port side of Control, evaluated the changing parameter of their contact, then made his report.
    “Possible contact zig, Master One, due to upshift in frequency.”
    The fire control technicians and Lieutenant Molitor examined the time-frequency plot on their displays, watching the frequency of the tonal rise. Lieutenant Commander George Sites stopped behind the consoles, and after the frequency steadied up, he announced, “Confirm target zig. Contact has turned toward own-ship. Set anchor range at five thousand yards.”
    Tolbert stopped beside his Executive Officer, examining the displays. Dolgoruky had turned toward the north as expected. In the worst-case scenario, Dolgoruky and North Dakota could be headed directly toward each other. Although submarine collisions were uncommon, they did occur. In these very same waters, USS Baton Rouge, a Los Angeles class fast attack submarine, had collided with a Russian Sierra class submarine.
    Tolbert planned to ensure there was no repeat of that incident. He had to maneuver North Dakota, but needed to know Dolgoruky ’s course so he didn’t make the situation worse.
    “I need a solution fast, XO.”
    Sites nodded and scanned the combat control consoles, his eyes squinting as the three operators slowly converged on a common solution. A minute later, Sites informed the Captain, “I have a solution. Master One is on course three-two-five, speed ten.”
    Damn. Dolgoruky was on an intercept course. They either knew they were being followed or had guessed where North Dakota was with incredible accuracy. Tolbert had to get off Dolgoruky ’s track.
    “Pilot, come to course zero-four-five. Ahead standard.” They would move out of Dolgoruky ’s way, let her pass, then fall in behind.
    The Pilot entered the commands and as North Dakota turned to the northeast, Petty Officer Second Class Reggie Thurlow, stationed as the Broadband operator, pressed his headphones to his ears, listening to the unusual sound.
    “Sonar Sup, Broadband. Picking up mechanical transients from Master One.”
    Chief Bob Bush donned the Broadband headphones and listened to the distinctive sound. It was much quieter than on other Russian submarines, but recognizable nonetheless.
    Bush reported, “Fire Control Coordinator, Sonar Supervisor. Picking up mechanical transients from Master One. Sounds like towed array deployment.”
    Commander Tolbert listened to the report with concern. Range to Dolgoruky had decreased to four thousand yards. The United States had scant data on the new Borei class submarines, and he had no idea at what range North Dakota would be detected.
    YURY DOLGORUKY
    Stepanov checked the red digital clock at the front of the Command Post. They had deployed their towed array ten minutes ago, enough time for Hydroacoustic to check all sectors. Captain Lieutenant Evanoff must have been watching the clock as well, because he slipped the microphone from its holster.
    “Hydroacoustic, Command Post. Report all contacts.”
    The Hydroacoustic Party Leader’s reply came across the speakers. “Hydroacoustic holds three contacts. All three contacts are merchants to the north.”
    Stepanov joined Pavlov in front of the hydroacoustic display, searching for patterns within the random specks. Pavlov was not yet convinced. Narrowband detections were not instantaneous like broadband. The algorithms needed time to generate. As the two men examined the display, a narrow vertical bar rose from the bottom of the display. The Hydroacoustic Party Leader’s report arrived a moment later.
    “Command Post, Hydroacoustic. Hold a new contact on the towed array, a sixty-point-two-Hertz tonal, designated Hydroacoustic five, ambiguous bearings zero-one-five and two-six-zero. Sixty-point-two-Hertz frequency correlates to American fast attack submarine.”
    Pavlov and the submarine’s Watch Officer turned in their Captain’s direction. Stepanov