Redhill Private Airfield
Redhill Private Airfield Kent
Lat = 51 degrees, 12.8 minutes North
Long = 0 degrees, 8.5 minutes West
Air intercept over
English Channel
Lat = 50 degrees, 42.5 minutes North
Long = 1 degrees, 0.7 minutes East
Hussein had just arrived at the airfield, as the Gulfstream was ten miles out.
“Delta two, alpha-Romeo-Bravo I am on final approach from the west at fifteen-hundred feet, over.”
“Roger Delta two, alpha-Romeo-Bravo; you are cleared to descend to five-hundred feet and commence landing on runway zero-eight Romeo-two-six Lima, there is a five mile an hour west by north west cross wind, over.”
“Roger that tower; can you clear us for an immediate departure within five minutes of touch down?”
“Delta two, alpha -Romeo-Bravo that should be okay standby.”
Within a few minutes, Hussein observed the Gulfstream coming on its westerly approach to the airfield.
The Gulfstream touched down and rapidly decelerated, at the end of the runway the pilot turned left and followed the taxiway to the apron alongside the tower where Hussein was standing, the Gulfstream’s cabin door was opened and Hussein hurriedly entered.
The pilot opened his communication with the tower,
“Delta two, alpha-Romeo-Bravo, I am ready for taxing which runway is allocated, over.”
“Delta two, alpha-Romeo-Bravo, you can taxi back to runway zero-eight Romeo-two-six Lima for an easterly take off, and wait in the hold position, over.”
“Copy that tower, out.”
Three minutes later the Gulfstream was at the runway.
A few minutes elapsed before the tower contacted them,
“Delta two, alpha-Romeo-Bravo, I have been requested to recall you back to the tower apron, over.”
“What’s the problem tower?” “We are ready for take-off.”
“This request is being ordered by the Police, I request you return to the Tower apron.”
Hussein had been listening to the exchange between the pilot and tower; he spoke, “Is the runway clear for take-off now?”
“Yes; our slot is still operational,” replied the pilot.
“Good; then I advise you that we should take off immediately.”
The pilot new better than to argue with Hussein.
“We are going for a short-field take off, you had better buckle up.”
He applied the brakes and powered the twin engines up to full power; he released the brakes and the Gulfstream powered down the runway he kept the flaps at the neutral position so that the initial acceleration was faster; as he neared take off speed he lowered the flaps to take off position.
The tower had repeatedly ordered the pilot to abort the take-off; also advising him of a military helicopter coming in from the east.
The pilot ignored the towers requests and continued down the runway, he observed the helicopter coming directly in front of him, but he would pass right over it with plenty of clearance.”
The PT-17 inspector was already on the Comms to the Commissioner, “yes that’s correct sir, the hostile is airborne having refused the towers order to abort take off.”
“Okay; inspector return to base.”
Commissioner Dawson quickly phoned Strayker and apprised him of the escape.
“Leave it with me; I’ll have the RAF take up the chase.”
Strayker made a call to Vince at ICIS, “Vince have you been following the situation at Redhill?”
“Yes; were tracking the Gulfstream now.”
“We need the RAF to intervene what’s the nearest option Vince?”
Vince replied, “GAIL’s on it now.”
GAIL spoke, “RAF Marham; again is the closest strike command and has two Tornado GR-1s at the ready on QRA.”
“Patch me through to the station commander.”
A few moments later, a voice came over the Comm’s speaker, “This is Group Captain David Bucannon.”
“Group Captain its Major General Strayker again; we need your help.”
Strayker apprised the Group captain of the situation and GAIL gave an update on the Gulf Stream’s location.
“What do you want my boys to do when they locate the target Major?”
“Have them order the Gulfstream to turn around and if they don’t I will get you authorization to engage them.”
“Leave it with me Major.”
The two Tornado GR-1s; call sign’s Gauntlet-three and four were at alert readiness on runway Two; there twin Mk 103 reheat turbofan engines idling when the control tower operator spoke, “strike package Gauntlet; you are clear to roll.”
Gauntlet three’s pilot moved a few yards forward and applied the brakes full on and then with his left hand increased the engine power with the throttle controls, he confirmed that both wings were swept fully forward, the pilot adjusted the full-span flaps and slats down to give maximum lift and set the elevator trim to neutral.
Within seconds both Tornado’s thundered down runway two their afterburners flaring behind them; their climb rate was rapid.
As the wings were swept back to their maximum of sixty-seven degrees, three minutes later they were at forty-five thousand feet at one-thousand three hundred miles per hour.
“Tower to strike package Gauntlet; your target coordinates are Latitude 50 degrees, 57.2 minutes North and Longitude Zero degrees 44 minutes east, current speed five-hundred miles per hour; altitude thirty-five thousand feet.”
Gauntlet two’s Co-pilot replied, “Roger that tower, I have them on radar; one-hundred and fifty eight nautical miles down range.”
The co-pilot spoke to the pilot, “we need to increase speed to maximum for an intercept over the English Channel,” he did the calculations as the pilot poured on more power.
Both Tornado’s reached one thousand and forty-three miles per hour Mach 2, within twenty seconds; as the co-pilot ran the maths; “Co-pilot to pilot; time to intercept Gulfstream at current speed, seven minutes and twelve seconds.
The plot replied “Roger that, Gauntlet four do you copy that?”
“Gauntlet four to Gauntlet three; we copy that and have radar lock on target.”
The Gulfstream was fifteen miles over the English Channel when the pilot was surprised by unexpected presence of both Tornados as they took up position on the port and starboard sides.
“Gulfstream; Delta two, Alpha, Romeo, Bravo, this is Royal Air Force strike command, call sign Gauntlet three do you copy?” ”
The pilot of the Gulfstream called Hussein to the cockpit, “what shall I do?”
“Ask them what they want.”
“This is Delta two, Alpha, Romeo, Bravo, what do you want?”
“Delta two, Alpha, Romeo, Bravo, I am ordering you turn about and follow us to RAF Marham’s airstrip over.”
There was a long pause over the Comm’s, Gauntlet three’s co-pilot spoke to the pilot, “sir we have authorisation to engage if they fail to obey.”
Gauntlet three’s pilot spoke into the radio comm.
“Delta two, Alpha, Romeo, Bravo, you have ten seconds to comply, bring your altitude down to twenty five thousand feet and bank starboard onto your new heading, we are authorised to engage you if you fail to comply, over.”
GAIL had been monitoring the intercept and radio chatter relaying it to Strayker and Max at OCS.
Hussein took the co-pilots headset and spoke, “we are not going to comply and before you try to shoot us down; listen to what I have to say,” Hussein paused for several seconds and awaited the reply.
Gauntlet three’s pilot replied, “Delta two, Alpha, Romeo, Bravo, who am I speaking to?”
“My name is irrelevant, what I have to say is, there are three explosive packages in London and they are set to detonate within the next twenty-four hours do I have your attention?”
Gauntlet three’s co-pilot received a message from the control tower, “sir you have an incoming priority message from base; I’m patching it through now.”
“Strike package Gauntlet do not engage repeat do not engage target await further instructions do you copy?”
“Strike package Gauntlet standing by,” replied Gauntlet three’s pilot.
Strayker spoke on the secure line linked by GAIL to the Gulfstream, “this is Major Strayker to Gulfstream; Delta two, Alpha, Romeo, Bravo, what proof do you have of your threat, over?”
“You are no doubt aware of the recent events your country has endured and the fact you sent a failed interception at the airfield and now have sent planes to intercept me, tells me you know who I am. It should also tell you the threat I make is real, if I do not complete my journey then your capital city will pay another heavy price do I make myself clear Major?”
“Yes Hussein... I understand you want me to let you go with no guarantee you will tell us where the bombs are, I might as well order them to shoot you out the skies now.”
“Yes Major; you could do that but you would be condemning hundreds of innocent lives to certain death and horrifying injuries. I will do a deal with you and tell you where one of the packages is located. When I land I’ll give you the locations of the other two packages; you should still have nearly two hours to locate and disarm them, do we have an agreement Major?”
Strayker turned the comm. off, “What do you think Max?”
“Well sir; I would bet my next salary that he is heading back to re-join Shakira, we will take care of him there.”
“I’ll go along with that Max.”
Strayker re-opened the comm.
“You will not get away with this Hussein, however I’ll agree to your deal, on one condition.”
“What’s the condition Major?”
“You tell us where the other two packages are when you are thirty minutes from your touch down, that’s the deal.”
Hussein thought for a moment and then spoke with the pilot, “where will that put us?” The pilot quickly calculated the location, “that will put us over Luanda with no possible chance of any interception.”
“Major; I’ll go with that, here is the location of one of the bombs, it’s in white coloured Ford car on Crestfield street opposite Kings cross station, now call you planes off.”
Ten seconds later, both Tornado planes banked away climbing to forty-five thousand feet, “Gauntlet three to tower; returning to base out.”