“The MiG-31 has been out of production for almost forty years, but it has some upgrades,” Glenbrook went on. “The plane itself is one of the fastest in the world. Carrying the ASAT missile turns it into a sluggish pig, but the system still works. It fires one modified 9K720 missile, the same as on the latest model of the Iskander theater ballistic missile, but with a millimeter radar-guided warhead with a high-explosive warhead for outer-space operations. There are about a hundred of the D-models in service—maybe more, if they are converting other models into antispacecraft models, or taking some out of storage.” He closed the cover on his tablet, signifying that his briefing was over.
“So it appears the Russians are responding to my space initiative by gearing up their space forces, and the Chinese are assisting them, at least with launch pads and support,” President Phoenix summarized. “Thoughts?”
“Not unexpected,” Ann said. “We’ve seen all of that stuff in action over the past several years, except the spaceplanes.”
“We have to assume they’ll arm those Elektron spaceplanes the same as they did back fourteen years ago,” Glenbrook said. “They carried ten laser-guided hypervelocity missiles. No warhead, but a warhead is unnecessary—if an object hits the station or a satellite traveling several miles a second, it will definitely cripple it, and most likely destroy it. And the land-based missiles could very well carry a micronuclear warhead as well, the same used in the American Holocaust attacks, which, if it explodes within a mile of the station, could blow it right into oblivion. Even if it missed by more than that, the radiation and electromagnetic pulse would probably severely damage the station.”
“Our spacecraft are pretty well shielded against radiation, Bill, especially our manned spacecraft—they operate in cosmic radiation for years, sometimes decades,” Ann said. “But any kinetic weapon directed against the station is a serious danger.”
“The station has defensive weapons it can use, yes?” the president asked. “I got the tour of the command center on Armstrong. They said they could activate the big laser, Skybolt, in a matter of days, and they talked about a smaller chemical laser they could use, but the orbiting weapon garages are not active.”
“That’s correct, sir, after the Starfire experimental stuff is removed,” Ann said. “Perhaps we should activate the Kingfisher weapon garages and place the inactive ones back in orbit.”
“I’m not quite ready to do that yet, Ann,” Phoenix said, “but I want to be ready in case we detect any movements toward our space assets, especially Armstrong. The rockets and air bases with those antisatellite MiGs can be targeted by sea-launched ballistic or cruise missiles, correct?”
“Yes, sir,” Glenbrook replied, “but it will take time to move a sub in position, and an attack by Russia against Armstrong Space Station can happen very quickly. If Russia can overwhelm the station’s defenses, they could knock it out of the sky. A combination of an Elektron spaceplane attack, air-launched missiles, and ground-launched antisatellite missiles all attacking at once could do just that.”
The president nodded but remained silent for several long moments; then: “Let’s give diplomacy and cooler heads a chance before we activate any more space weapons,” he said finally. “Knocking down Armstrong would be like attacking an aircraft carrier or a military base: an act of war. Gryzlov’s not that crazy.”
“Russia has done both in the past, sir,” Ann reminded the president. “Gennadiy’s father was the master of the sneak attack against the United States in the American Holocaust, with almost ten times more casualties than Pearl Harbor.”
“I know that, Ann, but I’m still not prepared to escalate this situation if I can avoid it,” Phoenix said. “I’ll authorize use of all defensive weapons currently deployed, including the chemical laser, but no offensive weapons.”
“May I suggest we activate the magnetohydrodynamic generator on board Armstrong Space Station, sir?” Ann asked. Ann Page was the designer and builder not only of the Skybolt missile defense system but also of one of its many high-tech features: the MHD, or magnetohydrodynamic generator, a nuclear-powered device that produced hundreds of megawatts of power for the Skybolt free-electron laser without disrupting Armstrong Space Station’s attitude controls or orbital path. “It’s been in virtual mothballs for a couple years, and it will take a day or two to power it up and test it. If things do turn nasty it would be good to have Skybolt available as soon as possible.”
“You’re talking about the generator that powers the big Skybolt laser?” Phoenix asked. Ann nodded. “I know we never ratified the treaty banning offensive space weapons, but we’ve been acting as if the treaty is in force. Would this violate the treaty?”
Ann thought for a moment, then shrugged. “I’m no arms-control expert or lawyer, sir, but to me a power generator is not a weapon, even if it is pumped with a nuclear reactor. Skybolt is the weapon, and some of its components are being used by those Cal Poly students to fire electricity down to Earth.” She hesitated, then added, “They could provide us some diplomatic security, should the need arise, sir.”