The U.S. Navy rules the seas--not only above the waters but below. A large factor in that sovereignty is a network of undersea listening devices scattered around the worlds oceans. Through these devices the Americans have been able to track every move the Russians make for years.
Now the Russians have found a solution--create a new ocean or at least ocean passage that only they can use. To this end, they have harnessed nuclear power to melt an icy passage above the Arctic Circle. Not only will this allow Russian ships and submarines to travel undetected, it will shift the balance of power among the navies of the world.
President Jack Ryan is faced with a insoluble problem. Any attack on the Russian icebreakers will be an act of war, and maybe even worse, because of the nuclear material being used, could lead to an environmental calamity of epic proportions.