Chapter Eighty Second Week of September

Admiral Robert Smith is holding a staff meeting at headquarters that will put into place two carrier battle groups and maintain Mediterranean coverage with the U.S. Sixth Fleet. His chief of staff, Captain Bruce McKay is leading the presentation for everyone on staff who has a need to know.

“Gentlemen, what we discuss here remains in this room or will be encrypted before being sent to the appropriate vessels. We are positioning our forces in case of a need for armed confrontation with Iran. By order of the President of the United States, we are going to assign the following:

“The Sixth Fleet, operating in the Mediterranean, will begin cruising eastbound to position itself within four hundred miles off the coast of Israel in the next thirty days.
“The Carrier Strike Group in the Indian Ocean will position itself six hundred miles due south of Karachi, Pakistan. This force will be the commanding presence over two Ohio-class submarines and one Seawolf. The Ohios will remain fifteen hundred miles off the coast of Karachi. The Seawolf will position itself within fifty miles of the coast when ordered to do so.” He pauses. “Are there any questions so far?”