Chapter 8: The Struggle Between Life and Death

"Ballast tanks fore and aft are filled with water, and the vessel dives at full speed"

Bearing 350, distance 26

Torpedo No. 3 launched. Torpedo No. 4 ready, in self-guided mode

From the situation displayed on the screen, the "Houston" appears to be like a bear that has encountered a swarm of hornets, frantically accelerating downwards. However, the speed of the torpedo is much faster than that of the submarine, and the attack depth has reached 900 meters. The maximum diving depth of the "Houston" is a mere 450 meters, with an extreme diving depth of only 530 meters

Lu Chengwen also experienced an unprecedented fear in his heart

Hua Jianfeng did not rush to launch the third torpedo, as the probability of destroying the submarine with the two torpedoes exceeded ninety-six percent, and the "Houston" was destined to be sunk

The low-frequency sound waves emitted by submarine attack sonar possess immense energy, capable of traveling dozens of nautical miles through seawater

Although this is the first time Hua Jianfeng has commanded a battle with real weapons, his more than ten years of service experience, three years as a captain, along with biannual combat patrols and annual joint exercises, have allowed him to accumulate rich combat experience, making him an exceptionally outstanding captain of an attack nuclear submarine

The atmosphere in the command center suddenly became tense, indicating that the preparations for launching the torpedo had revealed the position of the "Gun Squid" and that the sonar operator on the opposing submarine had determined that the "Gun Squid" was about to launch a torpedo

Not long after the sound of the explosion faded, a chilling metallic cracking noise was heard. This was the sound produced when the undamaged pressure hull of the "Houston" deformed and fractured under the immense pressure of the seawater as it sank. All the officers and soldiers aboard the "Gun Squid" remembered this sound, as it was the first time they had heard the noise made by the deformation and fracture of a submarine's pressure hull.

"Fifteen degrees down at the bow, ten degrees up at the stern, full left rudder, and full power ahead!" Hua Jianfeng issued the command promptly, "Deputy Commander, calculate the time to impact."

There are two guidance modes for torpedoes. The first is wire guidance, which is controlled by the submarine's fire control computer through a data cable to attack the target. The second is autonomous guidance, which utilizes the torpedo's own sonar to obtain target information and is controlled by the torpedo's guidance device, allowing it to automatically attack the target. The former is primarily used against highly certain targets, with a significantly higher probability of successful attack, mainly because the detection equipment on the submarine is much more sensitive than that on the torpedo, enabling more accurate monitoring of the target's activities and providing more precise attack information for the torpedo. The latter is mainly used in combat situations when a submarine needs to evade incoming enemy torpedoes while simultaneously counterattacking. In such cases, the torpedo cannot be tethered by a long wire. Therefore, in wire guidance mode, when a submarine needs to evade incoming enemy torpedoes while also counterattacking, it cannot perform large-scale, high-intensity maneuvers.

Forty-five seconds

A nuclear submarine weighing several thousand tons, with over one hundred military personnel, will forever remain in the muddy depths more than five thousand meters below the sea surface

At this moment, it can be said that every second counts

The current issue is that the counterattack time of the "Houston" must be delayed to prevent the opponent from having a chance to retaliate. Therefore, the "Gun Squid" must stay as close as possible behind the opponent, preferably below and behind them, forcing the opponent into a dead end. If the "Houston" intends to launch a counterattack, it must continue to turn sharply and accelerate, thereby shortening the attack range of the torpedoes and reducing the difficulty of their attack. Conversely, if the "Houston" plans to evade the torpedoes, it must reduce its turning angle while accelerating, thereby increasing the attack range of the torpedoes and providing more time to disrupt them. As long as the second scenario occurs, the third torpedo prepared on the "Gun Squid" can be deployed immediately.

The red light began to flash, and within half a minute, more than one hundred officers and soldiers on the submarine had all taken their combat positions

Amidst the dull sound of flowing water, the heavy torpedo in the No. 4 torpedo tube shot out rapidly. The torpedo traveled approximately 800 meters, at which point the active sonar installed in the nose fairing began to operate. Within just ten seconds, the sonar on the torpedo detected the USS Houston, which was making a high-speed turn and ascending. Upon receiving the reflected sound wave signals, the torpedo's fire control computer automatically compared them with the pre-input target characteristic information. Once the two sets of data matched, the fire control computer issued commands to the torpedo's guidance and depth control systems, propelling the torpedo towards the USS Houston at a speed of 55 knots.

The first level, one-third thrust power, keep up with the 'Houston'. After issuing the final command, Hua Jianfeng let out a long sigh

As the armorer reported the target's position and distance data, Hua Jianfeng immediately said: "Flood the No. 3 torpedo tube and open the front cover"

By the time Lu Chengwen reacted, the "Gun Squid" had already plunged into the deep sea at a 25-degree angle. At this moment, the "torpedo" fired from behind was less than 1,500 meters away from the "Gun Squid"

Submarine warfare is somewhat similar to aerial dogfighting, yet they are not entirely the same

Depth

Not to mention two heavy anti-submarine torpedoes, even a single lightweight anti-submarine torpedo could take down the "Houston".

The "Los Angeles" class nuclear submarine, which employs a large compartment and single-hull design, is arguably one of the most "vulnerable" nuclear submarines in the world. If even one compartment takes on water, its remaining buoyancy is insufficient to bring it to the surface. In contrast, the survival capability of the Russian Navy's nuclear submarines, which utilize a small compartment and double-hull design, is significantly better than that of the "Los Angeles" class nuclear submarines

The "Houston" vessel, which had previously turned left, suddenly turned right, indicating that it had detected a second torpedo, while the first torpedo continued to pursue relentlessly. Under attack from two torpedoes, the captain of the "Houston" surely abandoned the plan to attack the "Gun Squid" and decided to prioritize self-preservation

Captain, increase speed and dive!" the sonar operator shouted loudly.

The torpedo launch tube emitted a "gurgling" sound when water was injected. When the front cover of the torpedo launch tube was opened, the metallic clashing sound produced by the mechanical equipment became even more pronounced

Five seconds later, the armory officer personally reported the situation. "Torpedo No. 3 has switched to self-guided mode, and the wire has been cut."

The sound of the attack sonar is not the thud of the torpedo's active sonar.

Hua Jianfeng also walked to the side of the weapon operation platform at this moment, staring intently at the map displayed on the screen

In the next two minutes or so, the officers and soldiers on board the "Gun Squid" only need to wait patiently

Fifteen degrees up at the bow, ten degrees up at the stern, two-thirds power ahead, one-third to port

It seems that this situation had been anticipated long ago. Hua Jianfeng smiled faintly and issued the second attack order

At this moment, the "Houston" turned ninety degrees, striving to aim at the "Gun Squid".

With a whoosh, a heavy anti-submarine torpedo weighing nearly 2 tons was expelled from the torpedo launch tube by high-pressure water flow. It was propelled towards the USS Houston, trailing a long guidance wire.

When the pressure hull ruptures, more than one hundred officers and soldiers aboard the "Houston" will be crushed by dozens of atmospheres of seawater in an instant. Death comes swiftly, so quickly that the victims do not even have time to cry for help. However, is not the "creaking" sound that comes at this moment a call of death

Three hundred seventy-five meters

However, under the premise that the torpedo hit rate reaches 96%, can the "Houston" escape

From beginning to end, the officers and soldiers on the two submarines never met, nor did they know what each other looked like, their names, ages, or whether they were married. However, in just a few minutes, over one hundred officers and soldiers on the "Gun Squid" became the executioners of over one hundred officers and soldiers on the "Houston." When the officers and soldiers on the "Gun Squid" cheered for victory, who would have thought that they had just personally slaughtered over one hundred living people

Torpedo No. 3 switched to self-guidance mode, severing the wires. Hua Jianfeng had no intention of giving the opponent any opportunity, "Inputting firing data for Torpedo No. 1, filling the torpedo tube with water."

Fill the No. 3 torpedo launch tube with water, open the front cover! The armorer conveyed the order to the torpedo compartment through the internal intercom.

The USS Houston has already come under attack and is aware that the USS Octopus is right behind it. While evading the attack, the USS Houston must make every effort to aim its bow at the USS Octopus and then counterattack with torpedoes. Therefore, to ensure absolute safety, it is essential to sink the USS Houston before it can launch its counterattack.

The captain of the vessel, the "Houston," has turned to the right

At the fifteen-second countdown before the torpedo hit, the USS Houston released three sets of countermeasures in succession. It then made a full-speed left turn to surface.

Torpedo No. 3 loading and firing data, Hua Jianfeng turned around and, upon seeing Lu Chengwen nod, said, "Prepare the attack sonar, wire-guided mode"

When the sonar emitted a long call, the information was also displayed on the weapon operation platform's screen

At this moment, all the officers and soldiers on the submarine erupted in excited cheers

The three sets of jamming devices launched by the "Houston" can affect self-guided torpedoes, but are difficult to impact wire-guided torpedoes. Shortly after the second torpedo was fired, the first torpedo had already passed through the bubble zone created by the jamming devices and re-locked onto the target

This is war, devoid of any compassion or sympathy

Both torpedoes hit their target, and the "Houston" is undoubtedly doomed

Hua Jianfeng was also very excited; he did not stop the cheering soldiers until the sonar chief suddenly called out. Only then did Hua Jianfeng stand up abruptly, and the soldiers in the command center immediately fell silent.

When Hua Jianfeng entered the command center, Le Jia immediately approached him. "It has been confirmed three times that it is the 'Houston' ship. We have just maneuvered to the rear of the 'Houston' ship, approximately twenty-five chains away, an excellent position for attack"

When the sound of the first explosion was heard, the officers and soldiers in the command center erupted in excited shouts, only to quickly fall silent. Following that, the second explosion occurred