(A USAF B-52 with ordnance. The Big Fat Ugly Fellow (BUFF) is leading the big NATO nuclear exercise through the end of October).

The two words were borrowed by planners somewhere deep in the bowels of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. They are intended to convey a sort of non-threatening military strength- the “steadfast” part is clear enough: it is a word conveying strength and resolution without implying impetuous aggression. The “noon” part implies something a little in the future. A sort of middle of the day routine, sun bright above us even though the ache of dawn is only starting to wear off with the third cup of coffee.

It was a conversation that started yesterday with the announcement about the NATO exercise. It involves about sixty jets, led by the old but still formidable B-52 bombers that flew from Minot, North Dakota. The press release claimed the exercise “is a routine, recurring training activity… not linked to any current world events.”

Which is true, except that previous planning was complete a long time before the events we are living started to unfold. So that collision of Monday’s routine and the breaking news about “now” raised interest. We had been working on an old manuscript and feeling the past and present collide in the description of “then” and “now.”

The Chairman had written the thing a little more than thirty years ago. He told us his intent had been to capture a taste of the chaos involved in in sending a massive warship across the world ocean. Filled with 4,000 sailors involved in launching airplanes off a steel moving ship.

The chaos involved is extraordinary, and the busy-but-routine account of working life on moving steel was suddenly altered. The Cold War ended. There was joy for a couple pages in the account and then it went back to the emotionless launching of airplanes as part of an enterprise that had been going on since 1945.

There appeared to be a general sense that the conflict was done, and Peace would break out. But the planners in the Ministries of Russia and America had been busy for decades while the War continued. A host of things had been planned, which required major ship acquisitions, weapons development, recruiting and training of personnel. All those activities take time, and a sudden outbreak of Peace takes a while to get organize.

For the people involved in the old New Peace, there were remnants of the suddenly past struggle still moving around. A handsome new Soviet warship was steaming around the same waters the Americans were. Despite Peace, there were the leftover pieces of conflict still moving and still alert and in proximity. Here is one of them:

(Russian Navy Battlecruiser Kirov. Still in the Northern Fleet inventory).

There were four of these lovely hulls at one time, but the end of the conflict sent two for scrapping and one is held in reserve. But the first of them built is still moving around. What troubles us a bit is the difference between break-out events in times of peace and conflict. Steadfast Noon is just “routine, recurring training.” Nothing to get upset about, right?

But looking at the old manuscript’s accounts of chasing Soviet ships months after the leaders of the two nations shook hands and declared “peace” is interesting. There are a lot of moving parts to these matters, and some folks in “today” seem inclined to consider options other than “joy.” There are many pieces in motion, and some of them may be coming our way.

Just to keep things framed properly, we are in favor of “Peace.” But like we said, there is a lot going on. Transitioning to Peace was a welcome challenge but it took a while to achieve. This time the direction of some of the pieces is uncertain and subject to rapid change. That is the striking difference between the story in the old manuscript and the news this week: the tipping point between planned events and ones that occur on the spur of the moment. Perhaps in haste, coupled with anger.

Doing something unusual without detailed planning is a lot easier if the pieces are already on the board. That is why we can only agree to be steadfast prior to lunch. After noon, anything could happen, right?

Copyright 2022 Vic Socotra
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