The line has been crossed: Soviet submarine-launched ballistic missiles have detonated in the heart of New York and downtown Boston Mass, incinerating over 40,000 residents in just 15 seconds. More than 50 percent of the population living within a 1-mile radius of the explosions is either dead or gravely injured.
NATO officials were horrified. But they were also confused: Once the launched missiles were detected, an all-out Soviet nuclear strike was expected. Instead, only 6 SLBMs were launched and no other launches were detected. What is going on?
Premier Leonid Brezhnev has been on the hot line to Air Force One and the US President, the Soviet Premier pleading it was a rogue SSBN which had disobeyed orders and the launch was not authorised.
The whole world is on a knife edge. Is the Cold War suddenly going to get a whole lot warmer?
Orders for Cmdr NATO Forces
Situation
The unauthorised launch of a limited Soviet SLBM strike on the United States has surprised NATO.
Pershing 1A ballistic missiles have now deployed to pre-assigned positions in West Germany; Likewise Soviet MRBMs and SRBMs have also deployed along the borders. NATO forces continue to hold the line in the Central Front but are falling back due to the onslaught of Soviet armoured divisions. The only thing able to stem the tide is limited nuclear strikes against them.
The 325th Bombardment Squadron with B-52G Stratofortresses have been flying Chrome Dome (airborne alert) race-tracks over the last few days with associated support tankers, and are now awaiting their EAMs (Emergency Action Message) with orders to strike.
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| Recon imagery of Polyarnyi, Severomorsk, and Upper Tuloma power station |
SAM Systems : SA-2F Guideline, SA-3B Goa, SA-5B Gammon, SA-7 Grail.
AAA systems : 100mm KS-19, 23mm ZSU.
Air : Tu-128 Fiddler, Su-15TM Flagon, Su-9 Fishpot B, Yak-28P Firebar
Surface : unknown.
Subsurface : unknown
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| Recon imagery of Kola power station and Afrikanda PVO airbase |
Thule Air Base:
- 43rd ARS (KC-135A Stratotanker)
- 960th AEWCS (EC-121H Warning Star)
- 179th FIS-ANG (F-101B Voodoo)
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| Recon imagery of Iova power station |
Mission
Conduct nuclear strikes as directed by
NMCC.Execution
On receipt of EAMs, carry out assigned strikes as ordered.
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| Recon imagery of Severodvisk and Arkhangelsk target area |
Command: NMCC
EMCON: ALPHA-Limited Emissions
October 20, 1975 0100Z
Last scenario I said I took it personally that the Soviets were targeting Boston (and New York). Now they've actually nuked them. This is beyond the pale.
 |
| Operation Chrome Dome is in effect. |
 |
| The Cold War has gone hot |
 |
| Armed and Ready |
FLASH EAM FLASH EAM FLASH EAM
FLASH EAM FLASH EAM FLASH
FM NMCC
TO CAVEMAN #1
/GIANT LANCE TARGET
ALLOCATION/001/
/PRIMARY TARGET/POSN/67 32N 032
30E/KOLA NUCLEAR POWER STATION/
/PRIMARY WEAPON ALLOCATION 1/TWO
B-28 1.45MT/
/PRIMARY WEAPON ALLOCATION
2/AGM-69A SRAM TO BE USED FOR SEAD AND AIRFIELD SURPRESSION/
/SECONDARY TARGET/NIL/
/SECONDARY WEAPON ALLOCATION
1/NIL/
/SECONDARY WEAPON ALLOCATION
2/NIL/
/AUTHENTICATION/CAVEMAN #1/MIKE
ALPHA BRAVO ONE ZULU/
FLASH EAM FLASH EAM FLASH EAM
FLASH EAM FLASH EAM FLASH EAM
 |
| Kola Nuclear Power Plant |
013100Z
FLASH EAM FLASH EAM FLASH EAM FLASH EAM FLASH
EAM FLASH EAM FM NMCC
TO CAVEMAN #2
/GIANT LANCE TARGET ALLOCATION/002/
/PRIMARY TARGET/POSN/68 35.27N 031 42.40E/UPPER TULOMA HYDRO ELECTRIC POWER STATION/
/PRIMARY WEAPON ALLOCATION 1/TWO B-28 1.45MT/
/PRIMARY WEAPON ALLOCATION 2/AGM-69A SRAM TO BE USED FOR SEAD AND AIRFIELD SURPRESSION/
/SECONDARY TARGET/NIL/
/ECONDARY WEAPON ALLOCATION 1/NIL/
/SECONDARY WEAPON ALLOCATION 2/NIL/
/AUTHENTICATION/CAVEMAN#2/NOVEMBER BRAVO CHARLIE TWO ALPHA/
I suspect that at 1 minute intervals, each of my B-52G flights will be receiving orders.
"AGM-69A SRAM TO BE USED FOR SEAD AND AIRFIELD SURPRESSION." At 200kT a pop, and eight AGM-69As per B-52, this means we're talking about 144 200kT nukes...as mere suppression. The Kola peninsula is going to be glowing...
013200Z
FLASH EAM FLASH EAM FLASH EAM FLASH EAM FLASH EAM FLASH EAM
FM NMCC
TO CAVEMAN #3
/GIANT LANCE TARGET ALLOCATION/003/
/PRIMARY TARGET/POSN/66 39.10N 031 21.21E//IOVA HYDRO ELECTRIC POWER STATION/
/PRIMARY WEAPON ALLOCATION 1/TWO B-28 1.45MT/
/PRIMARY WEAPON ALLOCATION 2/AGM-69A SRAM TO BE USED FOR SEAD AND AIRFIELD SURPRESSION/
/SECONDARY TARGET/NIL/
/SECONDARY WEAPON ALLOCATION 1/NIL/
/SECONDARY WEAPON ALLOCATION 2/NIL
/AUTHENTICATION/CAVEMAN #3/OSCAR CHARLIE DELTA THREE BRAVO/
FLASH EAM FLASH EAM FLASH EAM FLASH EAM FLASH EAM FLASH EAM
013300Z
FLASH EAM FLASH EAM FLASH EAM FLASH EAM FLASH EAM FLASH EAM
FM NMCC
TO CAVEMAN #4
/GIANT LANCE TARGET ALLOCATION/004/
/PRIMARY TARGET/POSN/64 35.23N 039 45.49E/SEVERODVINSK/
/PRIMARY WEAPON ALLOCATION 1/TWO B-28 1.45MT/
/PRIMARY WEAPON ALLOCATION 2/AGM-69A SRAM TO BE USED FOR SEAD AND AIRFIELD SURPRESSION/
/SECONDARY TARGET/NIL/
/SECONDARY WEAPON ALLOCATION 1/NIL/
/SECONDARY WEAPON ALLOCATION 2/NIL
/AUTHENTICATION/CAVEMAN #4/PAPA DELTA ECHO FOUR CHARLIE/
FLASH EAM FLASH EAM FLASH EAM FLASH EAM FLASH EAM FLASH EAM
Severodvinsk is not a power plant but rather a naval shipyard. Unfortunately it's also a city of over 200,000 people. Getting orders like this is sobering to say the least.
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| Severdvinsk |
FLASH EAM FLASH EAM FLASH EAM FLASH EAM FLASH EAM FLASH EAM
FM NMCC
TO CAVEMAN #5
/GIANT LANCE TARGET ALLOCATION/005/
/PRIMARY TARGET/POSN/64 31.44N 040 32.23E/ARKHANGELSK/
/PRIMARY WEAPON ALLOCATION 1/TWO B-28 1.45MT/
/PRIMARY WEAPON ALLOCATION 2/AGM-69A SRAM TO BE USED FOR SEAD AND AIRFIELD SURPRESSION/
/SECONDARY TARGET/NIL/
/SECONDARY WEAPON ALLOCATION 1/NIL/
/SECONDARY WEAPON ALLOCATION 2/NIL
/AUTHENTICATION/CAVEMAN #5/QUEBEC ECHO ZULU SEVEN VICTOR/
FLASH EAM FLASH EAM FLASH EAM FLASH EAM FLASH EAM FLASH EAM
Arkhangelsk. Nearly half a million people.
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| Arkhangelsk |
FLASH EAM FLASH EAM FLASH EAM FLASH EAM FLASH EAM FLASH EAM
FM NMCC
TO CAVEMAN #6
/GIANT LANCE TARGET ALLOCATION/006/
/PRIMARY TARGET/POSN/69 04.06N 033 24.42E/SEVEROMORSK/
/PRIMARY WEAPON ALLOCATION 1/TWO B-28 1.45MT/
/PRIMARY WEAPON ALLOCATION 2/AGM-69A SRAM TO BE USED FOR SEAD AND AIRFIELD SURPRESSION/
/SECONDARY TARGET/POSN/69 11.56N 033 28.01E/POLYARNYI NAVAL BASE/
/SECONDARY WEAPON ALLOCATION 1/TWO B-28 1.45MT/
/SECONDARY WEAPON ALLOCATION 2/AGM-69A SRAM TO BE USED FOR SEAD AND AIRFIELD SURPRESSION/
/AUTHENTICATION/CAVEMAN #6/TANGO GOLF SIERRA TWO XRAY/
FLASH EAM FLASH EAM FLASH EAM FLASH EAM FLASH EAM FLASH EAM
Already devastated by a nuclear bomb when it was attacked by British bombers, Severomorsk, the main administrative base of the Northern Fleet, is going to be hit again.
 |
| Severomorsk |
 |
| Given their targets, the 18 B-52G begin their flights towards their targets. |
Caveman 5, the B-52G group that was just tasked to target Arkhangelsk, disappears off my scope. What the hell just happened?
014500Z
FLASH EAM FLASH EAM FLASH EAM FLASH EAM FLASH EAM FLASH
FM NMCC
TO 179TH FIS
/NON COMPLIANT CAVEMAN #5 /001/
/179TH FIS TO DETECT LOCATE DESTROY CAVEMAN #5 FLT/ /AUTHENTICATION/179TH FIS/BRAVO XRAY CHARLIE FOUR DELTA/
FLASH EAM FLASH EAM FLASH EAM FLASH EAM FLASH EAM FLASH EAM
Oh, shit.
A dozen possibilities flash through my mind, going from bad to worse. Just a communications problem? A refusal to carry out the orders? All three B-52s destroyed? A rogue crew intent on bombing an unauthorized target? A rogue crew intent on bombing a friendly target? A compromised crew controlled by the Soviets?
More worrisome is that it is not a single B-52 that vanished, but rather all three in a flight. They could be working together, working independently...they could all be going in different directions...
I direct my airborne fighters to the last known position of Caveman 5, but the nearest one is 100nm away. I also instruct my EC-121 H Warning Star to light off its radar. Caveman 5 should be within radar range.
014525Z Contact!
 |
| Contact! I have all three B-52s on radar |
This leaves me with a conundrum. Do I still have to kill all three? For all I know, one received the order and is continuing on the mission, while the other two had to abort for some reason.
014659Z I send one of my F-101B Voodoo fighters to afterburner to go after the B-52 that still appears to be on the mission...and almost immediately it goes Bingo and turns around for home. I have plenty of tankers in the air, so this isn't a disaster...but then I find out that Voodoos are not mid-air refueling capable! It looks like there's no way I can intercept the B-52 that's continuing on. I might not even be able to intercept the two B-52s that appear to be heading home.
So I cut the throttles of all my fighters, and make an intercept course to hopefully loiter and lie in wait for the returning B-52s. I also launch two more fighters from Thule for good measure.
015003Z
FLASH EAM FLASH EAM FLASH EAM FLASH EAM FLASH EAM FLASH EAM
FM NMCC
TO CAVEMAN #4
/GIANT LANCE TARGET ALLOCATION/004/
/PRIMARY TARGET/POSN/64 35.23N 039 45.49E/SEVERODVINSK/
/PRIMARY WEAPON ALLOCATION 1/TWO B-28 1.45MT/
/PRIMARY WEAPON ALLOCATION 2/AGM-69A SRAM TO BE USED FOR SEAD AND AIRFIELD SURPRESSION/
/SECONDARY TARGET/64 31.44N 040 32.23E/ARKHANGELSK/
/SECONDARY WEAPON ALLOCATION 1/TWO B-28 1.45MT/
/SECONDARY WEAPON ALLOCATION 2/AGM-69A SRAM TO BE USED FOR SEAD AND AIRFIELD SURPRESSION/
/AUTHENTICATION/CAVEMAN #4/ZULU CHARLIE FOXTROT EIGHT MIKE/
FLASH EAM FLASH EAM FLASH EAM FLASH EAM FLASH EAM FLASH EAM
With Caveman 5 non-compliant, Caveman 4 is tasked to take on its target as a secondary target.
 |
| F-101B Voodoo |
 |
| Genie away. |
Continued in Part Two.
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