Yuri looked at the image of the Shendao installation as Captain Clark began his rundown. Yuri’s immediate attention, however, was elsewhere. The revelation jolted Yuri with the impact of a mountain avalanche. This entire briefing has been for my benefit—they want something from me! But what?
Yuri would soon find out.
Captain Clark said, “The PLAN officially identifies this building as the Shendao Fleet Logistics and Support Center. It appears to function as advertised but it also serves another purpose, one that Beijing has gone to extremes to conceal.”
Clark called up a new slide. “This is a satellite image taken during construction of the building. Note the activity in this area.” He pointed with the laser, highlighting an excavated zone behind the building’s foundations. A narrow but long box like reinforced concrete structure extended from the building’s south end into the adjacent hillside.
“Looks like some kind of underground storage facility,” commented Commander Arnold.
“That’s what the Chinese want us to believe.” Clark handed the remote to his colleague.
Jeff Chang highlighted the same area. “The design used here mimicked a stormwater storage vault. We use them routinely in the States to temporarily store rainfall during storms and then let it drain out over time. Helps prevent flooding. They’re also sometimes used to help filter out contaminants in stormwater. From satellite monitoring of other new construction in China, we’re just starting to see the use of these types of facilities. For this case, however, it’s bogus.”
Chang presented another slide. “This is an interior photo of the so-called stormwater vault.”
Commander Arnold reacted first. “That’s a tunnel.”
“Correct,” Chang said as he called out the obvious features. “Dedicated walkway, utility conduits, overhead lighting, ventilation system. None of these improvements would be located inside a stormwater treatment tank.”
“Who took this photo?” Yuri asked.
“One of our recruits. Worked as a laborer.”
Yuri started to ask a follow-up question when Steve Osberg intervened. “The tunnel connects to another facility hidden in the hillside; a cavern that we speculate was hollowed out several years before the building was constructed. We believe it houses the control center for China’s new submarine monitoring system in the South China Sea, which includes deployment of ASW weapon systems.”
“And that would also include whatever attacked Commander Arnold’s boat?” Yuri said.
“We believe so!” Osberg signaled for Chang to continue.
Jeff Chang keyed the remote and the image of a middle aged male dressed in the uniform of a PLAN officer appeared. “This guy is Captain Zhou Jun. Naval academy graduate. Served five years as a line officer on a destroyer and was sent back to school. Received a Ph.D. in IT and transferred to the PLA’s advanced weapons research group—roughly similar to our DARPA.” Chang glanced toward Yuri. “DARPA stands for Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. It’s part of the U.S. Department of Defense, responsible for developing emerging technologies for use by our military.”
“Thanks for thinking of me, but I’m quite aware of DARPA.” Yuri grinned. “I can assure you that DARPA has and continues to generate colossal heartburn at the Kremlin.”
Chang and the others laughed.
Jeff Chang resumed his presentation. “Captain Zhou is based in Sanya. His group works out of an office building in the port district. It’s part of a research center operated by the Chinese Academy of Sciences.” A new slide materialized, exhibiting a multistory building set on the shoreline of a modern harbor. Three oceangoing research vessels were moored to the docks fronting the marine facility. Chang continued, “Zhou has an office in the building but lately he spends most of his time at the Fleet Logistics and Support Center.”
Chang again clicked the remote, returning to the aerial photo of the Shendao complex. “Our intel suggests he has operational control of all the acoustic hydrophones in the South China Sea from the underground annex. We also believe it now functions as the ASW ops center for the SCS and maybe elsewhere. Signal intercepts of PLAN comms has identified it as the South Sea Sound Surveillance System, S5 for short. Also known as China’s Great Underwater Wall.”
Commander Arnold reentered the discussion. “So, Zhou is the prick that ordered the sea snake thing to attack my boat—in international waters?”
“Yes, in all likelihood he gave the order.”
Arnold muttered a curse.
Yuri scanned the paper pad he used to take notes before addressing Chang and Captain Clark. “Well, it appears that China has come up with an effective antisubmarine technology. I now understand your concerns so I assume you’d like my thoughts on countermeasures.”
“Of course,” Clark said.
“First and foremost, early detection. Your sonar picked up the two machines that attacked the Tucson. That’s where I’d start.”
“I agree and that’s already in the works. But we need a way to take out those damn things at their source, not when they’re about to swarm one of our boats. Tucson was lucky. . . if that line charge had attached itself to the pressure casing, Commander Arnold would not be here with us today. Correct, Scott?”
“Yes sir.”
Yuri considered Clark’s request. “Well, the best way to defeat something as radical as their sea snake machine is to get your hands on one of the units and reverse engineer it.”
“We’re all in agreement on that.” Clark glanced Chang’s way. “Jeff, go ahead and tell Yuri your plan.”
“We’re confident that all ASW ops for the South China Sea are controlled at Shendao. Accordingly, that’s where we plan to concentrate our efforts. Our intent is to insert a recon unit onto Hainan Island with the express goal of gaining access to the Shendao ASW unit.” Chang met Yuri’s eyes. “Because you have intimate experience with covert ops on Hainan, your assistance is requested.”
“To help plan the mission?” Yuri asked.
“That’s right. We really need your hands-on experience to pull off the op.”
So that’s what all this is about!