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Chapter 2531 Great Power Standoff in the Mediterranean (Third Update, Please Subscribe)
Minsk, sortie!

After the New Year, newspapers and news headlines around the world were all about it, and the whole world was watching this most advanced Soviet aircraft carrier!
As it sailed toward Syria after receiving supplies at an Algerian port, the world was counting down.

As the shadows of MiG fighter jets loomed over the Mediterranean Sea, all the noise was swallowed up by the darkness beneath its surface. The sonic gradient created by the salinity gradient acted as an invisible barrier, stretching 180 meters underwater, providing natural cover for the submarines to conceal their movements.

The Soviet Navy had long been familiar with this sea area as if it were its own backyard. The K-495 Victor-class attack nuclear submarine was gliding quietly at a speed of 5 knots, blending into the noise of the ocean currents and the murmur of marine life.

As the vanguard of the Minsk carrier strike group, K-495 infiltrated this "back garden" of the coalition fleet 48 hours in advance. Its mission was to conduct covert reconnaissance, delineate the warning area, and clear underwater hazards for the arrival of the subsequent carrier strike group.

Commander Valery Petrov leaned against the submarine control console, his eyes fixed on the green ripples dancing on the sonar screen—the most advanced passive sonar system on Soviet submarines, capable of detecting the slightest vibrations of propellers hundreds of nautical miles away, but also constantly facing countermeasures from the SEA's more sophisticated detection equipment.

Under the Iron Curtain of the Cold War, underwater confrontations have long been commonplace, yet there are unwritten rules: do not fire first, do not use weapons proactively, but use the most advanced reconnaissance and counter-reconnaissance to declare your presence and suppress the opponent's arrogance.

Sonar operator Ivanov's headset was pressed tightly against his ear, his brow furrowed. His fingertips slowly slid across the frequency adjustment knob, filtering out the calls of dolphins and the noise of ocean currents crashing against reefs.

Suddenly, a rhythmic, extremely faint mechanical vibration entered my eardrums—it was the cavitation noise unique to the propeller of the Hailong-class attack submarine, which became blurred after being refracted by the speed of sound strata, but was still clearly audible.

"Commander, report! SEA submarine signal detected at 32 degrees to port, approximately 14 nautical miles away! Voiceprint analysis matches the Hailong-class submarine, suspected to be either the 'Hailong' or 'Haishe'!"

Ivanov's voice was kept very low.

Throughout the Cold War, confrontations between nuclear submarines of various countries in the world’s oceans became increasingly frequent. Every encounter was like walking a tightrope, and the slightest mistake could trigger a major war.

This time, unlike before, they were to enter the restricted area by sailing silently.

"We are being passively monitored, and the other side has not initiated any active detection, so they are most likely conducting covert reconnaissance. But we may have already been detected by them."

Ivanov rapidly typed on the keyboard, bringing up a set of acoustic spectra. The waveforms on the screen were faint yet clear, confirming his judgment.

"Immediately implement silent avoidance!"

Petrov made a decisive decision and gave the order:

"Reduce speed to 3 knots. Turn right 15 degrees, dive to a depth of 250 meters, and use the superstructure to shield against enemy sonar detection!"

The command center fell into absolute silence. The crew even held their breath. K-495 slowly turned, like a lurking sea monster, diving deeper into the darkness. 250 meters was exactly the maximum operating depth of its weapons, and its ultimate diving depth could even reach 600 meters.

Meanwhile, 14 nautical miles away, in the sonar compartment of the SEA Navy's "Sea Dragon" attack submarine, sonar operators also detected that fleeting abnormal signal.

Unlike the K-495, which operated silently underwater, the Hailong was always on normal course. Its spherical sonar system had a slight advantage in sensitivity, so even though the K-495 used silent underwater navigation, it still exposed its target.

Commander Ma Yaowen, the submarine's captain, stared at the sonar screen, his face expressionless—the command had long anticipated that the Soviet Minsk fleet would send a vanguard to "scout ahead."

It really is a nuclear submarine!

"At 35 degrees to port, a signal from a Soviet Viktor III-class submarine was detected for 2.7 seconds, with a clear wake signature."

The sonar operator reported, his tone calm, saying:
"They seem to have noticed us; the signal is weakening, and they are descending."

Ma Yaowen's lips curled into a cold, hard smile. Years of experience told him that he could neither back down nor cross the line at this moment.

"Activate active sonar to scan the target area—not as an attack warning, but as a warning detection. Let them know that we've already detected them."

Following Ma Yaowen's command, the active sonar of the "Hailong" emitted a short, high-frequency sound wave, like a "whistle" in the deep sea, penetrating the seawater and spreading towards the direction of K-495.

This wasn't an attack order, but a blatant deterrent—this active sonar scan was tantamount to "underwater shouting," meaning "I've locked onto you, get out of here immediately." The K-495's sonar screen was instantly flooded with a powerful sonic signal; the crew could even hear the active sonar striking the hull. Ivanov's expression subtly changed:
"Captain! The enemy has activated their active sonar; we've been exposed!"

Petrov clenched his fists; the mission did not allow them to back down easily.

"Adjust course, 20 degrees to left, maintain depth of 210 meters, and keep speed constant. Activate sonar—we also want them to know that we have their movements under control."

Meanwhile, on the deck of the aircraft carrier "Friendship", four Black Hawk anti-submarine helicopters quickly started their engines. The roar of the rotors broke the calm of the sea, but after taking off, they quickly descended and flew low over the sea, speeding toward the target area.

At this moment, the sonar operator on K-495 suddenly reported urgently:

"Captain! Helicopter engine sound detected in the waters above, about 22 nautical miles away, rapidly approaching! It's an SEA anti-submarine helicopter, at least three!"

Petrov's heart sank. The arrival of the anti-submarine helicopter meant that the SEA was going to upgrade from "underwater standoff" to "joint air-submarine deterrence".

Their anti-submarine helicopters are equipped with advanced dipping sonar and sonobuoys. Once a joint air-submarine detection network is formed, the K-495 will have nowhere to hide in their eyes.

"Maintain silence, increase depth to 250 meters, and increase speed to 8 knots—not too fast, to avoid excessive noise," Petrov calmly ordered. "Activate the auxiliary devices of the hull's sound-absorbing coating to reduce sound wave reflection. Keep the passive sonar locked on the helicopter's movement throughout the entire process, and immediately adjust course to avoid it if the dipping sound enters the water."

K-495 slowly submerged, its hull navigating normally at a depth of 300 meters. Meanwhile, in the air, anti-submarine helicopters had arrived at the target area and began circling to deploy sonar buoys—one by one, buoys with parachutes fell into the sea and immediately activated, transmitting underwater acoustic signals via radio to the helicopters and nearby destroyers.

"The sonar buoys have formed a preliminary detection network, pinpointing the approximate activity area of ​​K-495 at a depth of 300 meters and a speed of 7-9 knots."

As the air and sea search network was being established, Ma Yaowen watched the increasingly clear signal range on the sonar screen, a mocking smile appearing on his lips:
"Put more pressure on them. Activate the active sonar for continuous scanning with encrypted frequency, and at the same time, have the helicopter descend and use dipping sonar for close-range detection—no need to lock on, just let them know that they are surrounded."

The active sonar of the "Hailong" was activated again, and high-frequency sound waves continuously impacted the seawater around K-495. The detection signal of the sonar buoy was like an invisible net, slowly shrinking.

The crew of submarine K-495 were breathing heavily—they knew that SEA's goal was not to attack, but to force them to surface, admit to the "intrusion," or retreat in a disheveled manner, losing all face.

Petrov stared at the nautical chart, his gaze sweeping between the course of the K-495 and the Minsk formation. He knew very well that withdrawing now would make the Soviet Union appear weak, but if the stalemate continued, and the SEA's joint air-submarine detection network were to pinpoint their location, they would be in an even more passive position.

The enemy will continuously deploy sonar to force him to surface. Although his submarine is a nuclear submarine, it will not be like the Soviet submarine during the Cuban Missile Crisis more than a decade ago, which persisted at a depth of 200 meters for nearly 7 days, facing severe challenges such as shortage of supplies and insufficient power.

Ultimately, considering the safety of the more than 80 officers and men on board, the captain decided to raise the national flag and surface. Upon surfacing, the submarine was immediately surrounded by the US fleet. However, after taking photos, the US forces did not harass the Soviet crew but instead chose to withdraw.

Although the US military did not make things difficult for them, the Soviet officers and soldiers faced severe punishment upon returning home. The captain was arrested and imprisoned for disobeying orders, the executive officer committed suicide due to the humiliation, and the other officers and soldiers were discharged from the military.

The outcome of an underwater standoff is not only a contest of technology, but also a battle for national dignity.

"Adjust course, move southwest, ascend to a depth of 90 meters, and maintain a speed of 6 knots."

Petrov finally made a decision: he couldn't just sit here and wait to die!

"At the same time, an encrypted telegram was sent to the Minsk formation, reporting an encounter with an SEA submarine and anti-submarine helicopter, and requesting the formation to increase its advance speed and provide surface cover."

K-495 slowly turned, like a cautious hunter, circling the edge of SEA's detection network to evade tracking.

Time ticked by, and in the depths of the Mediterranean, the two nuclear submarines, like shadows in the night, probed and suppressed each other. The scanning sounds of active sonar, the clutter of jammers, and the engine sounds of helicopters intertwined to form a silent contest.

K-495 remained on the edge of the SEA detection network, neither withdrawing nor provoking, holding its ground with precise control and unwavering will; while "Hailong" maintained firm control of the initiative, and the combined air and submarine deterrence network never relaxed, that is, it always kept tracking Soviet submarines.

It was during this process that the Minsk carrier strike group got closer and closer to this sea area. Just as the confrontation was becoming more and more tense, the K-495 ship under the sea finally received a signal from the Minsk carrier strike group - Hold on, we're almost there!
(End of this chapter)