Meilof’s hands flew across her controls. “All right, people. Time to see if eighteen months of development was worth the taxpayers’ money.” She pulled up a three-dimensional display. “I’ve got our units configured for demonstration pattern Alpha — defensive screen transitioning to offensive sweep once OPFOR shows hostile intent.”
“Very well. And our OPFOR composition — what are we looking at?” asked Trammell as he leaned forward to get a better look.
“Oh, Dutch Harbor’s throwing us a real party, sir. They’re simulating a reinforced PLA Navy surface action group. Two Type 055 destroyers, three Type 054A frigates, and six Type 056A corvettes. Subsurface picture shows two Type 039C AIP boats,” Meilof confirmed.
Thompson whistled low. “That’s a lot of metal.”
“That’s the point, Senior Chief,” Meilof replied. “If we can’t handle this with three Stormwatchers and two Seekers, the whole concept’s dead in the water.”
Trammell rose from his seat, moving to stand beside Meilof at the command console. Through the holographic display, he could see his task group’s electronic nervous system — data streams flowing between platforms at light speed, decision trees branching and pruning in nanoseconds.
“How’s Dutch Harbor managing their side?” he asked, curious how they were going to handle their set of ACVs.
“They’ve got a mirror setup to ours. Lieutenant Rodriguez and his team, plus contractors from the same companies are going to push the boundaries of our system.” Meilof highlighted the OPFOR control node on her display. “They’re using the HYDRA-AI. It’s basically GIDEON’s evil twin. Same base architecture, different tactical libraries and approach to learning.”
The countdown timer steadily moved toward zero, now sixty seconds out.
Trammell keyed the 1MC. “All stations, this is the captain. Exercise Kodiak-33 will commence in one minute. This is it, everyone. We are about to prove that autonomous warfare isn’t science fiction. It’s science fact, and it’s here.”
He turned to Meilof. “Lieutenant Commander, you have my authorization to activate GIDEON. Weapons free under exercise parameters.”
Meilof’s expression hardened with concentration. “Aye, sir.” Her fingers moved across the haptic interface with practiced precision. “GIDEON, this is Intrepid. Authentication Zulu-Nine-Whiskey. Execute demonstration package Alpha. Autonomous operations authorized.”
The transformation was immediate but subtle. Every display in the CIC seemed to sharpen, as if coming into focus. Data streams reorganized themselves, inefficiencies vanishing as GIDEON optimized every connection. The AI’s presence was felt rather than seen — a vast intelligence spreading across the quantum-encrypted links between platforms.
“GIDEON online,” Meilof reported. “Establishing tactical mesh… confirmed. All platforms report ready for autonomous operations.”
On the main display, Trammell watched his Stormwatchers adjust their formation. The movements were small — a few degrees of heading change, minor speed adjustments — but the effect was dramatic. What had been a standard escort formation became something organic, breathing with the rhythm of the storm. Twenty minutes into the exercise, the first signs of the enemy appeared.
“Contact,” Thompson called. “Confirmed, OPFOR units going active. Detecting search radars consistent with PLA Navy Type 364 and Type 382 systems.”
“GIDEON’s responding,” Meilof reported. “Stormwatchers are… interesting.”
The three Stormwatchers had begun what looked like random course changes. But Trammell recognized the pattern from his study of the system. They were creating electromagnetic ghosts, using the storm’s interference to multiply their apparent numbers. To the OPFOR’s sensors, three vessels would look like nine.
“Vampire, vampire,” Thompson announced with clinical calm. “The lead Stormwatcher just detected an OPFOR missile barrage.”
“Don’t tease me, Senior Chief, give me numbers and types of inbounds,” quizzed Meilof as Trammell watched her take control of the situation.
Senior Chief Thompson swiftly answered. “Aye, ma’am, it’s coming in now. First wave consists of twenty-four YJ-18s. Time to impact four minutes. Second wave is larger, thirty-six YJ-18s, impact in seven minutes. Oh wow, damn, Stormwatcher just detected a third wave. The OPFOR is launching twelve YJ-21s, time to impact five minutes.”
