Trident Deception

7 primary works

The Trident Deception

by Rick Campbell

Published 4 March 2014

"The best submarine novel since Tom Clancy's The Hunt for Red October." -Booklist (starred review)
The USS Kentucky-a Trident ballistic missile submarine carrying a full complement of 192 nuclear warheads-is about to go on a routine patrol. Not long after it reaches the open sea, however, the Kentucky receives a...

Read more

"The best submarine novel since Tom Clancy's The Hunt for Red October." -Booklist (starred review)
The USS Kentucky-a Trident ballistic missile submarine carrying a full complement of 192 nuclear warheads-is about to go on a routine patrol. Not long after it reaches the open sea, however, the Kentucky receives a launch order. After receiving that launch order, it is cut off from all counter-orders and disappears into the Pacific while it makes the eight-day transit to the launch site. What the Kentucky's crew doesn't know is that those launch orders haven't actually come from the U.S. government.
Rogue elements within the Mossad have learned that Iran has developed its first nuclear weapon and, in ten days, will detonate it-and the target is Israel. The suspected weapon complex is too far underground for conventional weapons to harm it, and the only choice is a pre-emptive nuclear strike. With limited time, this rogue group initiates a long-planned operation called the Trident Deception. They'll transmit false orders and use a U.S. nuclear submarine to launch the attack.
In this thriller from Rick Campbell, with only 8 days before the Kentucky is in launch range and with the submarine cut off from any outside communication, one senior officer, the father of one of the officers aboard the submarine, must assemble and lead a team of attack submarines to find, intercept and neutralize the Kentucky before it can unknowingly unleash a devastating nuclear attack.

Empire Rising

by Rick Campbell

Published 1 February 2015

Xiang Li Cheng, the President of the People's Republic of China, has both a problem and a plan. The problem is that the limited supply of oil available to China is threatening to derail his country's economic growth and prosperity. But to secure access to those resources, he must...Read more

Xiang Li Cheng, the President of the People's Republic of China, has both a problem and a plan. The problem is that the limited supply of oil available to China is threatening to derail his country's economic growth and prosperity. But to secure access to those resources, he must contend with powerful U.S. Navy and the Pacific Fleet. After a decades-long largely secret military build-up, Cheng sets his plan in motion by suddenly invading Taiwan and drawing the Pacific Fleet in to its defence. With a faster, larger fleet with more capable long range missiles, China is able to surprise and quickly overwhelm the American fast attack fleet, all but wiping out the U.S. forces on deployment. Then China turns to its real objective - invasion and expansion across Asia, starting with the four main Islands of Japan. While the Atlantic Fleet surges westward to defend its allies and respond to the destruction of their counterparts, it falls to an unlikely alliance of three people to stop this incursion and prevent World War III. National Security Advisor Christine O'Connor has critical information, but she's trapped in Beijing; Captain Murray Wilson, C.O. of the submarine USS Georgia must somehow infiltrate the Chinese submarine blockade; and Navy SEAL Jake Harrison must lead a strike team into the most hostile of territories with only hours to implement the most daring plan ever.

Ice Station Nautilus

by Rick Campbell

Published 28 June 2016

Russia's new ballistic missile submarine, Yuriy Dolgorukiy, is being deployed on its first patrol while America's newest fast attack submarine, North Dakota, is assigned to trail it and collect intel. As the Russian submarine heads under the polar ice cap, its sonar readings reveal the trailing American sub and...Read more

Russia's new ballistic missile submarine, Yuriy Dolgorukiy, is being deployed on its first patrol while America's newest fast attack submarine, North Dakota, is assigned to trail it and collect intel. As the Russian submarine heads under the polar ice cap, its sonar readings reveal the trailing American sub and cause the Russians to begin a radical, evasive manoeuver. This, however, fails and the submarines collide, resulting in damage that sends both to the bottom. The Americans immediately set up a rescue mission, sending a new submarine and a SEAL team to establish an ice camp - Ice Station Nautilus - and stage a rescue. The Russians also send men and material, ostensibly to rescue their own men, but the Russian Special Forces team is also there to take the American base camp and the American sub, leaving no survivors or traces of their actions. As the men in North Dakota struggle to survive, the SEAL team battles for possession of the submarine. Ice Station Nautilus is an epic battle above and below the ice, Special Forces against SEALs, submarine against submarine, with survival on the line.

Blackmail

by Rick Campbell

Published 27 June 2017

The U.S. aircraft carrier patrolling the Western Pacific Ocean is severely damaged by a surprise salvo of cruise missiles. While the Russian government officially apologises, claiming it was the result of fire control accident during a training exercise, it was instead a calculated provocation. With the U.S. Pacific fleet...Read more

The U.S. aircraft carrier patrolling the Western Pacific Ocean is severely damaged by a surprise salvo of cruise missiles. While the Russian government officially apologises, claiming it was the result of fire control accident during a training exercise, it was instead a calculated provocation. With the U.S. Pacific fleet already severely under strength, the Russian President decides that the US response is a clear indication of their weakness, militarily and politically, and initiates a bold plan. Political unrest is spreading through the Eastern European states. The Russian Northern Fleet moves swiftly in the Mediterranean Sea, the Russian army is moving west to the border, and Russian Baltic and Black Sea Fleets are mobilised. In one bold strike, the Russian army moves to reoccupy a large number of the industrialised areas of the former USSR, while blockading the vital sea passages through which the world's oil and natural gas transit. To make matters worse, Russia's Special Forces have wired every major oil and natural gas pipeline with explosives. If the U.S. makes one move to thwart Russia, they'll destroy them all. The U.S. is risking disaster if it acts, but the alternative is quite possibly worse.
Torn between the unthinkable and the impossible, the only possible move - to launch an attack on all fronts, simultaneously.

Treason

by Rick Campbell

Published 26 March 2019

In Russia, the military is anxious to assert its strength and regain its role as a superpower. The Russian President refuses to greenlight a bold plan to disable American strategic nuclear capability and retake Ukraine and the Baltic States, fearing the potential consequences. At their first opportunity, the military...Read more

In Russia, the military is anxious to assert its strength and regain its role as a superpower. The Russian President refuses to greenlight a bold plan to disable American strategic nuclear capability and retake Ukraine and the Baltic States, fearing the potential consequences. At their first opportunity, the military overthrows the president in a coup. Then they use a narrow window to initiate their bold plan - the Zolotov option - which will render all of America's B2 bombers and ballistic missiles useless. With the U.S. off the board, they swiftly invade Ukraine with an overwhelming force, an invading army that even NATO can't hope to resist.

Now, it's game on. Without their primary weapons, the U.S. has to find a way to fight back on multiple fronts. If they're to have any chance, they'll have to overcome the malware that has grounded their ballistic missiles and planes, as well as secretly land a SEAL team to help rescue the imprisoned Russian President, and help retake control from the forces that are driving Europe into a continental war.

Rick Campbell, one of the finest young military thriller writers, returns with his biggest and boldest novel to date.

Deep Strike

by Rick Campbell

Published 16 March 2021

Vengeance

by Rick Campbell

Published 16 December 2025