Air Battle Force Read online

  AIR

  BATTLE

  FORCE

  DALE BROWN

  This story is dedicated to the victims of the terrorist attacks on

  America on September 11,2001 . . .

  . . .and to the courageous men and women around the world

  who will relentlessly avenge their deaths

  Contents

  Dedication

  E-book Extras

  Dale Brown: The Novels

  “Death of the Dogfight”: An Interview with Dale Brown

  Author's Note

  Cast of Characters

  Real-World News Excerpts

  Prologue

  Ghowrmach Border Crossing, Near Andkhvoy, Faryab Province, Northern Afghanistan

  Near the Village of Tabadkan, Twenty Kilometers West of Andkhvoy, On the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan Border

  One

  Arlington National Cemetery

  The Pentagon, Washington D.C.

  The White House, Washington D.C.

  Over Vedeno, Ceceno-Ingursskaja Province, Russian Federation

  Battle Mountain, Nevada

  Two

  Outside the City of Kerki, Western Turkmenistan

  Battle Mountain Air Force Base, Nevada

  Battle Mountain Air Reserve Base

  Battle Mountain Air Reserve Base

  Three

  Kerki Army Air Base, Turkmenistan

  Transcal Petroleum Corporation Headquarters, West Sacramento, California

  Battle Mountain Air Reserve Base, Nevada

  Kara Kum Desert, Eastern Turkmenistan

  Dearborn, Michigan

  Four

  Battle Mountain Air Reserve Base

  The Fairmont Hotel, San Francisco, California

  Five

  Central Turkmenistan

  The Kremlin, Moscow, Russian Federation

  Outside Mary, Republic of Turkmenistan

  Six

  Battle Mountain Air Reserve Base Battle Management Center

  Two Hundred Kilometers Northeast of Mary, Republic of Turkmenistan

  Ministry of Defense, Frunz Embankment, Moscow, Russian Federation

  Over the Mediterranean Sea

  Northwest of Mary, Turkmenistan

  Tigress Military Operating Area, Fallon Naval Air Station, Nevada

  Over the Eastern Azerbaijani Republic

  Seven

  Over the Caspian Sea

  North of the City of Mary

  Office of the President of the Republic of Turkmenistan, Ashkhabad

  Chärjew, Republic of Turkmenistan

  Diego Garcia, Indian Ocean

  The White House, Washington, D.C.

  The Residence of the President of the Russian Federation, The Kremlin, Moscow

  Chärjew, Republic of Turkmenistan

  Eight

  Chärjew, Republic of Turkmenistan

  Battle Management Center, Battle Mountain Air Reeserve Base, Nevada

  Military Command Center, Sivkovo, Russian Federation

  South of Engels Air Base, Russian Federation

  Outside of Chärjew, Republic of Turkmenistan

  Epilogue

  Washington, D.C.

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Raves for the Novels of Dale Brown

  Other Books by Dale Brown

  Credits

  Copyright

  About the Publisher

  E-BOOK EXTRA

  Dale Brown: The Novels

  Air Battle Force; Wings of Fire; Warrior Class; Battle Born; The Tin Man; Fatal Terrain; Shadows of Steel; Sky Masters; Day of the Cheetah; Flight of the Old Dog; Night of the Hawk; Storming Heaven; Chains of Command; Hammerheads; Silver Tower

  With Jim DeFelice: Dale Brown’s Dreamland; Dale Brown’s Dreamland: Nerve Center; Dale Brown’s Dreamland: Razor’s Edge

  Visit Dale Brown online at Megafortress.com

  ~

  Air Battle Force (2003)

  On America’s newest combat base, U.S. Air Force aerial warfare expert Major General Patrick McLanahan and his crew of daring engineers are devising the air combat unit of the future. Known as Air Battle Force, it can launch concentrated, stealthy, precision-guided firepower to any spot on the globe within hours. And soon McLanahan and his warriors will have their first target.

  Chased out of Afghanistan, Taliban fighters are planning to invade the neighboring oil-rich Republic of Turkmenistan, an isolated and incredibly wealthy Central Asian state. As unsteady alliances form and forces collide, the impending battle for control of the world’s largest oil deposits threatens to tear apart the tenuous peace created by America’s victories in Afghanistan.

  Now it’s up to McLanahan and a handful of American commandos half a world away, aided by an untested and unproven force of robotic warplanes, to win a war in which everyone — even “friendly” forces at home — wants them to fail.

  “[An] absorbing technothriller. . . Brown fans will declare this a page-turning delight.” — Publishers Weekly

  “Dale Brown is the best military adventure writer in the country.” — Clive Cussler

  ~

  Wings of Fire (2002)

  Ostracized by the government, the Air Force, and even by his own family, Patrick McLanahan has reached rock bottom. Or so he thought. While testing cutting-edge weapons in the skies over Libya, he and his private team are drawn into a power struggle between North Africa’s rulers.

  In the face of tragic loss, unexpected defeat, and ultimate betrayal, the ex-USAF general must quickly decide where his loyalties lie. For it may be too late to stop the destruction rolling across the Sahara. And this could be McLanahan’s final battle.

  “Brown has the technothriller down cold.” — USA Today

  ~

  Warrior Class (2001)

  The world is falling apart, and there are plenty of people willing to take advantage of the fact. One of them is Parvel Kazakov, a Russian oilman with close ties to organized crime and an audacious idea: build a huge pipeline through the Balkans, get the Russian army to back him, and everybody gets rich.

  Though NATO will object, the new American president’s emphatic policy of isolationism will guarantee no effective opposition. Russia will dominate Europe. Kazakov will dominate the oil supply.

  But he hasn’t reckoned with Patrick McLanahan. The young Air Force general leads a combat mission deep into Russia — until he is put in check by the president himself.

  As Kazakov and Russia continue their unrelenting drive towards European hegemony, McLanahan and his team find themselves faced with a dire choice. Which is the greater threat: the dangerous empire in front of them — or the dangerous president at home? Which ever way they choose, there is no turning back. . .

  “Dale Brown is a master at mixing technology and action. He puts readers right into the middle of the inferno.” — Larry Bond

  ~

  Battle Born (1999)

  Patrick McLanahan has been sent to a B-1B Lancer unit in Nevada to train a new tactical strike unit. He has his pick of the most aggressive personalities in the flying game, yet he knows it may take years to pull his bunch of mavericks together to fight as a team.

  But the training days are abruptly over when the fragile peace in Asia is shattered. What was supposed to be a joint U.S.-Japan-South Korea mock bombing raid turns lethal as South Korean fighter-bombers abandon the script and attack key North Korean centers in support of a massive people’s revolt against the Communist regime. To the world’s surprise, the raids are a complete success. The North Korean military surrenders, the borders are thrown wide open, and the United Republic of Korea is born.

  But with its thousands of captured warheads, United Korea is also the world’s newest nuclear
power, and it is ready to defy the U.S. and even attack China to preserve its sovereignty. Thus begins a violent conflict that threatens to embroil all of Asia. Enter McLanahan’s raw but audacious team, sent into the fray both to protect United Korea and to stop it. . .

  “When a former pilot turns his hand to thrillers you can take their authenticity for granted. His writing is exceptional and the dialogue, plots, and characters are first-class. . . far too good to be missed.” — Sunday Mirror

  ~

  The Tin Man (1998)

  Patrick McLanahan returns from conflicts abroad to find an undeclared war exploding on the streets of America.

  Now retired, McLanahan works for a company developing cutting-edge strategic devices for the armed forces. But when his rookie-cop brother is shot by terrorists, he transforms himself into a high-tech weapon of war.

  Protected by a new carbon-filament bodysuit that can instantly harden into stronger-than-steel armor, and armed with almost superhuman powers he can barely control, McLanahan embarks on a personal mission of revenge that will send his life spiraling towards disaster.

  “Brown . . . [brings] life to his characters with a few deft strokes.” — Publishers Weekly

  ~

  Fatal Terrain (1997)

  Dale Brown’s spectacular international bestseller — packed with high-action entertainment, cutting-edge technology and breathtaking scenes of aerial combat — looks forward to a near future where Taiwan’s declaration of independence from mainland China brings a very real threat of major conflict to the Pacific.

  As China prepares its military response, the U.S. president attempts to avert an international crisis by calling on his own tried and trusted secret strike force. But soon it becomes horribly apparent that with China and the U.S. moving ever closer to a nuclear showdown, it could be a mission too far for Patrick McLanahan, Brad Elliott, Jon Masters and their high-tech EB-52 Megafortress — the “Old Dog” itself.

  “Like the thrillers of Tom Clancy, Stephen Coonts, and Larry Bond, the novels of Dale Brown brim with action, sophisticated weaponry, and political intrigue. . .” — San Francisco Chronicle

  ~

  Shadows of Steel (1996)

  The world is a dangerous place. Hardly a revelation, but for the new U.S. president, nothing drives the fact home more forcefully than the sight of a newly nuclear Iran throwing its weight around the Persian Gulf — while the U.S. stands by uneasily, its military weakened by years of budget cuts and unpopular, inconclusive actions as the world’s de facto police force.

  But there is one weapon he can use: the newest secret cell of the CIA, codenamed Future Flight. Take a group with speed, skill, and audacity, put a B-2 Spirit stealth bomber in its hands, then send it out to find Iran’s key military, industrial, and command centers, and destroy them: quickly, quietly, secretly, untraceably — the ultimate stealth attack.

  Under the command of Patrick McLanahan, the team begins its mission brilliantly — and then all hell breaks loose, as Iran and its allies take their war of intimidation further than anyone dared imagine.

  “Dale Brown is a superb storyteller.” — W.E.B. Griffin

  ~

  Sky Masters (1991)

  U.S. forces have pulled out of the Philippines. The navy of the People’s Republic of China has laid claim to a long-contested island group and destroyed a Philippine oil platform. Tensions escalate and a volatile skirmish leads to the unthinkable. China launches a tactical nuclear weapon.

  The detonation sends tremors through the Pentagon and into the innermost reaches of the White House. President Lloyd Taylor is forced to respond, but how? React too rashly and a global war could ensue. Take it too mildly and further strikes against U.S. allies might be encouraged. But China — and a scheming Filipino politician — force the president’s hand.

  As for Lieutenant Patrick McLanahan, it is a bitter-sweet chance to fly a new high-tech B2 bomber. The harrowing counter-attack accelerates to an unforgettable and explosive conclusion.

  “Sky Masters is a knockout!” — Clive Cussler

  “Graphic aerial combat scenes. . . another for-sure bestseller.” — New York Daily News

  “Hair-raising, non-stop action. . . an exciting war story.” — Publishers Weekly

  ~

  Day of the Cheetah (1989)

  Once perfected, the aircraft nicknamed “DreamStar” will be America’s new air-superiority fighter and the world’s deadliest combat-ready weapon. It will supplant the advanced “Cheetah,” a heavily modified two-seater F-15E.

  But, unknown to the Cheetah’s pilot, Lieutenant Colonel Pat McLanahan — former navigator of the B-52 “Old Dog” — a KGB mole has infiltrated the DreamStar project. When the mole hijacks the superplane, it is up to McLanahan to get the fighter back — despite the overwhelming odds stacked against him.

  “Quite a ride. . . the flying sequences are terrific. Authentic and gripping. . . [Dale Brown] knows everything about advanced fighter aircraft.” — The New York Times Book Review

  “Brown’s action scenes are vivid. . . a strong contender in the technothriller sweepstakes.” — Publishers Weekly

  ~

  Flight of the Old Dog (1987)

  The unthinkable has happened: the Soviet Union has beaten the West in the technology wars. The U.S.S.R. has developed a killer laser with the capacity to neutralize America’s nuclear arsenal.

  In a desperate countermeasure, the U.S. activates the one bomber in its fleet capable of taking out the laser installation before it is too late: “Old Dog Zero One,” a battle-scarred veteran B-52, stripped of its antiquated hardware and rearmed with the latest state-of-the-art weaponry.

  The bomber and its crew will have to challenge wave upon wave of surface-to-air missiles and swarms of deadly MiG fighters.

  Flight of the Old Dog put a new name on the technothriller map: Dale Brown.

  “Flight of the Old Dog is a gripping thriller about the world of high-tech military aviation that few are privileged to enter. Dale Brown kept me glued to the chair, turning the pages as the aerial battle rose to a shattering climax; a terrific flying yarn.” — Stephen Coonts

  “Superbly crafted adventure. . . remarkable skill. . . Exciting!” — The Washington Post

  “Far too good to be missed.” — Sunday Mirror

  “A sizzling thriller that becomes more and more tense as it progresses — great stuff!” — Liverpool Daily Post

  ~

  Night of the Hawk (1992)

  In Dale Brown’s classic bestseller Flight of the Old Dog, millions of readers were gripped by the adventures of the crew of a high-tech B-52 bomber, the “Old Dog.” At the end of that terrifying mission, one of its members, Lt. David Luger, was left for dead on a frozen Siberian airfield. What became of him? A U.S. rescue team, including “Old Dog” crewmembers, is determined to find out.

  Meanwhile, in a secret research facility in Lithuania, the Soviets have developed their first stealth bomber, the “Tuman” — is David Luger somehow connected?

  Then, with the collapse of the Soviet Union, the officer in charge of Tuman refuses to scrap his prize project — and has his eyes set on the reoccupation of Lithuania.

  The “Old Dog” team is trapped inside the Tuman research compound as the crisis threatens to explode into full-scale war. While the president weighs his options, the “Old Dog” vets must devise a few plans of their own. . .

  “This blockbuster demonstrates the exciting possibilities open to the technothriller in a post-Soviet world. . . a dramatic high-tech adventure.” — Publishers Weekly

  ~

  Storming Heaven (1994)

  The U.S. is under siege. With chilling ruthlessness terrorist Henri Cazaux has demonstrated the vulnerability of the country’s air defenses by using large commercial aircraft to drop bombs on major airports. When he hits San Francisco Airport the destruction of life and property is enormous, and a national panic ensues.

  Only one man can end the chaos: Rear Admira
l Ian Hardcastle. Charged by the president with re-establishing security in the skies, Hardcastle must take drastic action to control the emergency — and quickly. But then Cazaux sets his sights on the biggest target of all: the nation’s capital.

  “Aviation ace Dale Brown has firmly established his high-tech credentials in seven bestselling aviation thrillers — his new, edge-of-the-cockpit novel should rocket him out to the Van Allen belt.” — New York Daily News

  “Cazaux is a fascinating monster; Storming Heaven will be an explosive success.” — Booklist

  ~

  Chains of Command (1993)

  Radar navigator Daren Mace has been to the gates of hell and back. In Operation Desert Storm he rightfully aborted a secret mission, only to be ostracized by the flying community as a result. Now Mace has a new role — in the Air Force Reserves at a New York air base, where he meets Rebecca Furness, the first U.S. woman combat pilot. Known as the “Iron Maiden,” Furness is unlike any other aviator Mace has ever known: she’s of course tough and an ace flier — but she’s also beautiful.

  When, halfway around the world, a border skirmish involving Russia, Ukraine, and Moldova leads to the deployment of low-yield nuclear devices, the new U.S. president faces his biggest challenge yet. He puts the country on full wartime readiness footing for the first time since 1991 and sends an air combat force to Ukraine, just as the Russian president is making his own power plays.

  Suddenly Mace, Furness, and the rest of their unit are hurtled into a dispute that goes beyond Ukrainian borders — a crisis that could lead to the horrors of all-out nuclear conflict.

  “The action is, as you expect from Brown, great.” — Kirkus Reviews

  ~

  Hammerheads (1990)

  For the U.S. government it’s a losing battle. Drug smugglers no longer shy from confrontation — they relish it: blowing Coast Guard jets out of the sky and sinking Coast Guard cutters with powerful bazookas.