United States | Operation Dark Heart

[Odinson]

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OPERATION DARK HEART​

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SECRET​

NAVY DEPLOYMENT​

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SUBMARINE SQUADRON 6
Captain Andrew Garnier​

SHIP CLASS	VESSEL	COMPLIMENT	HOME PORT
Virginia-class Submarine	USS Virginia	135	Naval Submarine Base New London, Connecticut
Virginia-class Submarine	USS Texas	135	Naval Submarine Base New London, Connecticut
Virginia-class Submarine	USS Hawaii	135	Naval Submarine Base New London, Connecticut
Virginia-class Submarine	USS North Carolina	135	Naval Submarine Base New London, Connecticut
Ohio-class Submarine	USS Ohio	155	Naval Submarine Base New London, Connecticut
Ohio-class Submarine	USS Michigan	155	Naval Submarine Base New London, Connecticut

DETAILS

Virginia-class - Fully Fueled; x135 crew; Crew fully rested and x3 pairs of uniforms each; Non-perishable food for 70 day journey; All necessary maps (terranean and deep-sea topographic maps) and other necessary standard on-board equipment, material, and supplies; x30 Beretta M9 and x90 fully loaded Beretta M9 magazines (located behind lock and key in on-board barracks); x12 VLS tubes: x12 BGM-109C Tomahawk Land Attack Missile; x4 533 mm torpedo tubes: x25 Mk-48 torpedoes, x9 UGM-84 Harpoon missiles; Full load of Acoustic Device Countermeasure Mk 3/4; All sonars.
Ohio-class - Fully Fueled; x155 crew; Crew fully rested and x3 pairs of uniforms each; Non-perishable food for 70 day journey; All necessary maps (terranean and deep-sea topographic maps) and other necessary standard on-board equipment, material, and supplies; x50 Beretta M9 and x110 fully loaded Beretta M9 magazines (located behind lock and key in on-board barracks); x22 tubes, each with x7 Tomahawks, totaling x154 Tomahawks (x50 are RGM/UGM-109B Tomahawk Anti-Ship Missile and x104 are BGM-109C Tomahawk Land Attack Missile); x4 21 inch Mark 48 torpedo tubes, x25 Mk-48 torpedoes; Full load of Acoustic Device Countermeasure Mk 3/4; All sonars.​

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DEPLOYMENT ORDERS​

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CONTEXT​

President Gore met with the National Security Council at the White House, where they privately discussed a number of pressing matters. One of the topics of discussion was the three-point sea-based plan to ensure the national security of the United States. This plan has not been fully implemented yet, but would partly involve the deployment of American nuclear submarines around the world. The Navy was not prepared to fully implement this, yet, however the Secretary of the Navy suggested that a small, alpha-deployment could be made as a precursor for what could come in the future. The submarines would also be placed in an ideal position to respond to trending global events. Submarine Squadron 6 was chosen as the operational unit that would partake in this alpha-operation.

ATLANTIC THEATER​

The six submarines that made up SUBRON 6 were manned, armed, stocked, and prepared for operational deployment. This would not be disclosed to the public, and measures were taken to ensure that the submarines were loaded either during dark hours or in a manner that looked routine. As senior officers for each submarine arrived, they were brought to a secure part of Naval Submarine Base New London for a brief on why they were being deployed - namely to test this new regular deployment of the navy and to act as a deterrent against foreign aggression.​

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[Odinson]

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DEPLOYMENT ORDERS​

SECRET​

ATLANTIC THEATER​

The submarines that made up SUBRON 6 were quietly deployed between 2:00-3:30AM, Eastern Standard Time, from New London Naval Base under the cover of darkness. The submarines travelled below the surface at 20 knots. When safely possible, the submarines would be 700 feet below sea level and would travel in a formation so that they were roughly in a line, which one following the next at a distance of about 10 miles apart. Of course depth, speed, and distance between submarines would be altered to avoid collision and grounding, or when going through narrow paths or shallow waters - the subs would avoid collision with each other, other ships, land, and the seafloor at all costs. Throughout their journey, SUBRON 6 would make full use of its various passive sonars and remain vigilant for any detectable sonar pings, propellers, or other sounds that would indicate a man-made vessel - the vessels would of course be particularly trying to identify warships or other submarines. All active sonars would remain turned off for now. The fleet would sail from the coast of eastern seaboard of the United States, past the Azores, and to 300 miles due west of Lisbon, Portugal. Throughout this operation, the submarines would not enter the sovereign territorial waters of any country besides the United States.

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[Odinson]

Secret​

The USS Ohio was somewhere in the mid-Atlantic when it received an EAM from the Pentagon - the other submarines in SUBRON 6 received similar messages. The communications officer aboard the Ohio would first see the flashing EAM light, followed by the immediate transmission of a message which was first digitally produced, and would then automatically print in physical form.

The communications officer had a duty to report this and follow proper procedure. "Conm, radio: we are receiving Flash traffic, Emergency Action Message. Recommend Alert One, Recommend Alert One."

"Alert One, Alert One, all hands man your battle stations," responded the executive officer, who presently had the comm, over the primary channel to the entire submarine. The captain, who was in his quarters, quickly got up and made his way to control.

The physically printed EAM was taken by a designated officer to a controlled meeting point in the submarine where another designated officer approached. "This is a properly formatted Emergency Action Message," the first officer said to the second.

"I agree, the message is properly formatted," the second said.

The first officer kept hold of the piece of paper and walked up to the Captain at the command station with the other officer following close behind him. "Captain, we have a properly formatted Emergency Action Message from the National Command Authority for increased readiness, sir," he said.
"I concur, sir," the second officer quickly chimed in.

The executive officer took the piece of paper from the other officer's hands. "I concur, sir," the X.O. said to the captain. The captain reviewed the message, which is below:

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NATIONAL MILITARY COMMAND CENTER​

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ENCRYPTED MESSAGE​

** START MESSAGE ** START MESSAGE ** START MESSAGE **​

URGENCY: FLASH

CCEB PRECEDENCE: FLASH - IMMEDIATE - PRIORITY

TO: VICE ADMIRAL DARYL FONTENOT, COMMANDER U.S. NAVY SECOND FLEET
CAPTAIN ANDREW GARNIER, COMMANDER SUBMARINE SQUADRON 6
CAPTAIN MICHAEL WHITE, CAPTAIN OF THE USS OHIO

FROM: NATIONAL MILITARY COMMAND CENTER - THE PENTAGON
SUBJECT: DEFCON 4

SET DEFENSE CONDITION 4 - DOUBLE TAKE.
PRESIDENT HAS DELIVERED AN ULTIMATUM TO THE SPANISH GOVERNMENT, DEMANDING RECOGNITION OF PUERTO RICO AS AMERICAN TERRITORY. SPANISH PRIME MINISTER IS UNPREDICTABLE AND SPANISH GOVERNMENT MAY BE UNSTABLE. INTELLIGENCE BELIEVES THAT SPANISH MILITARY MAY BE IN POSSESSION OF ADVANCED FOREIGN ASSETS, OR UNKNOWN WEAPONS OF WAR. CARRIBEAN AND EAST COAST OF UNITED STATES MUST PROCEED WITH ABOVE NORMAL READINESS.

** END MESSAGE ** END MESSAGE ** END MESSAGE **​

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[Odinson]

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DEPLOYMENT ORDERS​

SECRET​

ATLANTIC THEATER​

The submarines from SUBRON 6 successfully made it to their destination without any interference, incidents, or detection. The submarines would now split off and head to the following locations around Spain. At no point would the submarines be allowed to run into any underwater mountains, the ocean floor, or other vessels. U.S. Navy underwater topographic maps were used to ensure safe routes and passages at the prescribed depths and speeds.

USS Michigan
The Michigan and her crew travelled through the Straight of Gibraltar to approximately (38.22003, 2.69268) in the Mediterranean Sea. About 15 miles before travelling through the Straight of Gibraltar (35.954257, -6.200461) the captain of the Michigan ordered that she be slowed to 7 knots, maintain a depth of 700 feet, and that the boat "be rigged for ultra quiet" AKA silent running. The submarine would continue to be rigged for ultra quiet until it passed British Gibraltar, at which point propulsion would be increased to 10 knots. The submarine was not using its active sonar, but it did use all passive means to detect other ships and submerged submarines. Once the Michigan arrived to its aforementioned destination, it would slow to 3 knots.
Transit: IM>JM

USS Virginia
The Virginia and her crew travelled through the Straight of Gibraltar to approximately (37.1143, -0.03782) in the Mediterranean Sea. About 15 miles before travelling through the Straight of Gibraltar (35.954257, -6.200461) the captain of the Virginia ordered that she be slowed to 7 knots, maintain a depth of 700 feet, and that the boat "be rigged for ultra quiet" AKA silent running. The submarine would continue to be rigged for ultra quiet until it passed British Gibraltar, at which point propulsion would be increased to 10 knots. The submarine was not using its active sonar, but it did use all passive means to detect other ships and submerged submarines. Once the Virginia arrived to its aforementioned destination, it would slow to 3 knots.
Transit: IM>IM

USS Texas
The Texas and her crew travelled to (44.0323, -8.5475) in the Atlantic, off the coast of Spain. About 15 miles before reaching its destination, the Captain of the Texas ordered that she be slowed to 7 knots, maintain a depth of 700 feet, and that the boat "be rigged for ultra quiet" AKA silent running. The submarine was not using its active sonar, but it did use all passive means to detect other ships and submerged submarines. Once the Texas arrived to its aforementioned destination, it would slow to 3 knots.
Transit: IM>IN

USS Hawaii
The Hawaii and her crew travelled to (43.65234, -9.4485) in the Atlantic, off the coast of Spain. About 15 miles before reaching its destination, the Captain of the Hawaii ordered that she be slowed to 7 knots, maintain a depth of 700 feet, and that the boat "be rigged for ultra quiet" AKA silent running. The submarine was not using its active sonar, but it did use all passive means to detect other ships and submerged submarines. Once the Hawaii arrived to its aforementioned destination, it would slow to 3 knots.
Transit: IM>IN

USS North Carolina
The North Carolina and her crew travelled to (28.91995, -15.76126) in the Atlantic, off the coast of Spain. About 15 miles before reaching its destination, the Captain of the North Carolina ordered that she be slowed to 7 knots, maintain a depth of 700 feet, and that the boat "be rigged for ultra quiet" AKA silent running. The submarine was not using its active sonar, but it did use all passive means to detect other ships and submerged submarines. Once the North Carolina arrived to its aforementioned destination, it would slow to 3 knots.
Transit: IM>IL

USS Ohio
The Ohio and her crew travelled to (35.66127, -6.75411) in the Atlantic, off the coast of Spain. About 15 miles before reaching its destination, the Captain of the Ohio ordered that she be slowed to 7 knots, maintain a depth of 700 feet, and that the boat "be rigged for ultra quiet" AKA silent running. The submarine was not using its active sonar, but it did use all passive means to detect other ships and submerged submarines. Once the Ohio arrived to its aforementioned destination, it would slow to 3 knots.
Transit: IM>IM

Map For Reference

Zak

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[Odinson]

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DEPLOYMENT ORDERS​

SECRET​

ATLANTIC THEATER​

All of the submarines arrived to their destinations without being detected or any incidents occurring. All of the boats would maintain a slow, cruising speed of 3 knots at their current depths, while also maintaining all of the previous precautions. The submarines would continue to use all forms of passive radar to listen for any and all submerged and surfaced threats as they quietly maintained their current headings. After an hour, all of the submarines slowly raised to missile-launch debt, which was approximately 105 feet below the surface, where they would receive new instructions.​

Zak

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[Odinson]

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DEPLOYMENT ORDERS​

SECRET​

ATLANTIC THEATER​

The submarines simulated a full strategic missile strike on major navy targets throughout Spain. This was, of course, just an exercise and no missiles were actually fired. Once the exercise was complete, the submarines dived back to the aforementioned depth of 700 feet and quietly sail back to the United States in the same way that they came to Spain. The submarines would not go beyond 5 knots, and would remain rigged for ultra quiet, until they were some twenty-five miles from Spanish territorial waters. Once the submarines were 100 miles from Spanish territorial waters, the exercise would be complete, and the crews were all given a steak dinner that night for a job well done.​

Zak

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[Odinson]

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DEPLOYMENT ORDERS​

SECRET​

ATLANTIC THEATER​

The exercise was now complete. All of the submarines stealthily and safely made it home to the United States. The decision was made to not have them join Operation Omega as the Navy already had substantial military forces deployed there. Once the submarines returned home, the crews would disembark and be given liberty while the submarines were assessed for any damage or need for repairs and maintenance. The Pentagon prepared a secret briefing for the Secretary of the Navy on the success of the mission and what improvements could be made in the future for such deployments.​

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