The Savoia-Marchetti SM-79 Sparviero, or “Sparrowhawk” was a fast and durable three engine airframe, often called the “Hunchback” by the men who flew it, because of its distinctive dorsal hump on the forward superstructure near the canopy. Though it looked awkward, it had set pre-war speed records, and was really a fast and reasonably agile plane in combat. But its duralumin and plywood skin was easily penetrated by the fragmentation warheads of a good SAM, and not one missile fired would fail to find a target. It would simply come down to how many missiles could be used here, and Volsky had decided he would only spare five of the precious S-400s.
“Ready on Klinok system,” said Volsky. “Twelve missiles please, three salvos of four each, and you may launch at your best maximum range.”
They would wait until the enemy formation was inside 80 kilometers before Samsonov caught Rodenko’s eye, his hand hovering over the firing toggle.
“Effective range now,” said Rodenko. “You may fire.”
The claxon rang, the deck erupted with white smoke, and the missiles streaked away to find the unseen enemy. A more selective weapon, each missile would vector in on a single plane, with a much tighter fragmentation burst. Kirov would quickly trade those twelve missiles for fifteen SM-79 bombers, and Rodenko reported the updated situation report as before.
“Fifteen enemy planes confirmed down, but our radar count now reports only 25 aircraft still inbound. I show two other planes aborting, most likely with secondary damage.”
“Very well,” said Volsky heavily. “Contact the British destroyer. Tell them we have thinned the herd as promised and will now turn the engagement over to them. Let us see how their Sea Viper does. We have already given the fleet a nice little spectacle.”
They would have to wait another five minutes for the Sparrowhawks to come into what Kirov would call a close defense range. To the British, it was the outer limit of their Aster-15 missile at 30 kilometers. The Aster-30 could do better at 120 kilometers, but MacRae had waited to use his shorter range system. In truth, he could have fired much sooner with his Aster-30 missiles, but had decided not to speak of those in the briefing. The last time he had used that particular missile, he had been firing at Russian SU-24s! Now here he was all chummy with the Russian battlecruiser.
“No doubt they enjoyed lording it over us on the range of those missiles,” he said to his Executive Officer Dean.
“That first salvo was most likely their S-300 system,” said Dean.
“Or the S-400s. Damn impressive. What was their secondary battery?”
“Most likely the SA-N-92 Gauntlet system, sir. About 80 Kilometer range.”
“Good enough, but our Aster-30 will beat that, eh?”
“It will indeed, sir. Any reason why we aren’t using them?”
MacRae gave him a wry smile. “I told the Russians we would cover at 30 klicks, and said nothing of the Aster-30. We’ve only 50 of those left. Our missile count on the Aster-15 is much higher. It’s always wise to keep something under your kilts, Mister Dean. The CIC will activate forward deck Sea Viper system, number fifteen please, and standby.”
“Aye, sir, Sea Viper -15 activating and standing by. The ship is now at Air One.”
“Prosecute your contacts.”
“Sir, aye sir!”
“Mister Boyle. You will switch to control guidance and feed target data to the Vipers from the Sampson system.” Normally the Aster was an autonomous system that would use its own RF seeker to find and prosecute its target. But Dean realized that planes of this era would not be “emitting” on any of the typical spectrums the missiles would sniff. He was turning the whole engagement over to Sampson. So where Kirov placed the man by that name at the CIC, the British high domed radar set would be coordinating their strike, in close cooperation with the CIC computers.
The missiles began to fire, lance quick into the sky. They were extremely fast and agile, and there was no way any plane was ever going to spoof them or out maneuver them, no matter how good the pilot was. Twelve were fired, and they all found planes. The last baker’s dozen left alive in the SM-79 strike had seen enough and finally lost their stomach for the fight. They turned around and dove low for home.
“Enemy contacts breaking off and now outbound.” Dean updated the sitrep and waited.
“Secure Viper system,” MacRae ordered. “But the ship will remain at action stations. That may not be all they throw our way. Signal the Russian ship and give them our kind regards. How many more of those long range SAMs you figure they have, Mister Dean?”
“Full loadout would be 64 missiles, sir, but we’ve no way of knowing how many they’ve used up until now.”
