The Hunt for Red October is the debut novel by American author Tom Clancy, first published on October 1, 1984, by the Naval Institute Press. It depicts Soviet submarine captain Marko Ramius as he seemingly goes rogue with his country's cutting-edge ballistic missile submarine Red October, and marks the first appearance of Clancy's most popular fictional character, Jack Ryan, an analyst working for the Central Intelligence Agency, as he must prove his theory that Ramius plans to defect to the United States.
The Hunt for Red October launched Clancy's career as a novelist, especially after US President Ronald Reagan remarked that he had enjoyed reading the book. A film adaptation was released on March 2, 1990 by Paramount Pictures, and several computer and video games based on the book have been developed. The book was instrumental in bringing the book genre of techno-thriller into the mainstream.
Plot During the Cold War, Soviet Navy submarine commander Marko Ramius plans to defect to the United States with the ballistic missile submarine Red October. It is equipped with a "caterpillar drive", a cutting-edge silent propulsion system that makes audio detection by passive sonar difficult and enables the submarine to sneak its way into American territorial waters and launch nuclear missiles with little to no warning. As the sub leaves the shipyard at Polyarny, Ramius kills his political officer to ensure that he will not interfere. Ramius was ordered to conduct military exercises with Soviet attack submarine V. K. Konovalov, commanded by his former student Viktor Tupolev, to test the effectiveness of the caterpillar drive. Instead, he plots a course for the North American coast, falsely informing the crew that they will be proceeding undetected to Cuba. Before sailing, Ramius sends a letter to Admiral Yuri Padorin stating his intention to defect to the United States and to give them Red October; the Soviet Northern Fleet then sails out to sink Red October under the pretext of a search and rescue mission.
Red October passes near , a under the command of Bart Mancuso, which is patrolling the entrance of a route used by Soviet submarines in the Reykjanes Ridge off Iceland. Dallass sonar operator hears the sound of the stealth drive, and, though he does not initially identify it as a submarine, comes to realize that it is the sound of a new propulsion system. After losing Red October in the underwater route, Dallas heads to the end of the route in hopes of reacquiring the ship when it emerges.
At the same time, Jack Ryan, an analyst with the Central Intelligence Agency working in London as the CIA's liaison with the British Secret Intelligence Service, returns to the United States to deliver secret photos of the new submarine. After conferring with submarine expert Skip Tyler, Ryan determines that the submarine's new construction variations house a stealth drive. Soon thereafter, the CIA's leadership receives word from a highly-placed Soviet agent CARDINAL informing them of Ramius' letter to Padorin and his intention to hand Red October over to the US. Due to a limited number of aircraft carriers in the northern Atlantic Ocean at that time, the United States enlists the aid of the Royal Navy in the search for Red October, and Ryan is sent to the carrier to coordinate their efforts.
With the Soviet fleet stretched out along the American coast searching for Red October, tensions between the US/UK and USSR fleets begin to mount. An Alfa-class submarine is lost when it sinks following a reactor meltdown while racing to the American coast, while two US F-14 Tomcats' attempt to scare a squadron of Soviet fighter jets with sonic booms results in the Soviets accidentally firing missiles at the American aircraft. On board Red October, tension also begins to mount with the crew after evidence is found of a saboteur damaging the reactor and vital safety equipment. Ramius and his senior officers blame the sabotage on American spies who must have boarded the ship while it was in port. In Washington, D.C., the Soviet ambassador makes repeated trips to the White House to consult with the president of the United States about his fleet's search for their "missing" submarine, while one of the deputy directors of the CIA meets with a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, who is inquiring about the Soviet presence. The deputy director falsely tells the senator the CIA has received classified information from Israel that states covert Polish intelligence agents operating at the Polyarny shipyards replaced the original orders onboard the ship, and faked the letter to Padorin to make it appear that Ramius was defecting. The senator repeats the story to his aide, an undercover Soviet mole who is arrested shortly after relaying the information to his handler.
Meanwhile, Skip Tyler works with the Pentagon to develop a plan that would allow the United States to keep Red October without the Soviet Union knowing they have it. Dallas and Invincible locate Red October, and, after making contact, the three ships head to a designated spot to rendezvous with the decommissioned US ballistic missile submarine . A helicopter carrying Russian-speaking US military officers is dispatched to meet with Ramius and carry out the covert plan, but it crashes into the ocean, killing all onboard. As a result, Ryan, along with Owen Williams, a Russian-speaking British Lieutenant, is ordered by the president to board Red October and execute the plan instead.
After Ramius fakes a reactor accident, Ryan and the US Navy evacuate Red Octobers crew using a DSRV rescue submarine. Ramius and his officers stay behind, claiming that they plan to scuttle the submarine to prevent it from getting into the hands of the Americans. With the crew removed, Ramius and his officers formally request to defect, which Igor Loginov, an undercover GRU officer disguised as a cook who has secretly remained onboard, overhears. As Red October covertly moves out of the area and Ethan Allen is blown up in its place, Loginov fatally shoots Soviet Captain Lieutenant Kamarov and critically wounds Williams before attempting to rig one of the ship's missiles to explode. Ryan and Ramius attempt to stop him, resulting in a firefight, with Ramius being wounded and Ryan killing Loginov. Not knowing what booby traps Loginov has set on the missile, the area is cleared, and the missile is ejected into the sea.
With the ship secure, Mancuso and a handful of Dallas crewmembers are brought onboard Red October, while a doctor is flown in to treat Williams and Ramius. Mancuso has a depth gauge from the control panel removed from the ship, and Red October is escorted by Dallas and another submarine to hide in Pamlico Sound off North Carolina. The Soviet ambassador is informed by the White House that Red October had been found and most of the crew removed before it was unfortunately destroyed in a reactor meltdown. A Soviet agent is dispatched to board a US salvage craft to inspect the wreckage, where it "finds" the removed depth gauge as well as the ejected missile. Convinced Red October has been destroyed, the majority of the Soviet fleet is ordered home, with several Alfa-class submarines ordered to secretly remain behind to gather intelligence by spying on the American fleet.
In the Soviet Union, the Politburo is informed that their American spy had learned the letter sent to Padorin was fake and the orders onboard the ship were changed without his knowledge, and the KGB is tasked to investigate whether Marko Ramius was a true defector or a loyal patriot. Several agents are sent on the flight to retrieve the rescued crew members, all of whom report when questioned that Ramius was a loyal Soviet captain who was outraged by the sabotage done to their ship and adamant he would not let the Americans have Red October.
After waiting two days for the Soviet fleet to clear the area, Dallas and the other American submarine begin escorting Red October to Norfolk, Virginia. Konovalov, having been ordered to remain behind, happens upon them and begins to monitor them, initially believing it to be an American . Based on its acoustic signature, Tupolev realizes that it is Red October, and gives the order to attack it, damaging it with a successful torpedo strike. The rules of engagement prevent the American submarines from firing on the Soviets unless they are fired upon first, leaving Red October to fight off the enemy submarine on its own despite having no torpedomen onboard. After blocking another torpedo attack by deliberately running into the torpedo before it had time to arm, Red October sinks Konovalov by ramming into it, killing Tupolev and his crew.
The Americans escort Red October into dry dock in Norfolk, Virginia, where it is analyzed by US military intelligence. Ramius and his crew are taken to a CIA safehouse and are given new identities, beginning their settlement into American lives. Ryan is commended and debriefed by his superiors and returns to his posting in London.
Characters
The Soviets Captain 1st rank Marko Aleksandrovich Ramius: Soviet submarine captain who commands the Red October, the Soviet Navy's newest ballistic missile submarine. His decision to defect was spurred by personal factors. His wife, Natalia, had died at the hands of an intoxicated and incompetent doctor; however, the doctor escaped punishment because he was the son of a Politburo member. Natalia's untimely death, combined with Ramius's long-standing disillusionment with the callousness of Soviet rule and his fear of Red Octobers destabilizing effect on world affairs, exhausts his tolerance for the failings of the Soviet system. Captain 2nd rank Viktor Aleksievich Tupolev: Commanding officer of the attack submarine V. K. Konovalov and Ramius's former student. Captain 2nd rank Vasily Borodin: Executive officer of Red October Captain Lieutenant Gregoriy Kamarov: Navigator of Red October Dr. Yevgeni Konstantinovich Petrov: Red Octobers medical officer Igor Loginov: GRU intelligence officer, on duty aboard the Red October as a cook in order to prevent the defection or capture of the vessel Alexei Arbatov: Soviet ambassador to the United States Captain 2nd rank Ivan Yurievich Putin: Political officer (zampolit) aboard the Red October. Killed by Ramius so that he will not interfere with his defection. Admiral Yuri Ilyich Padorin: Chief political officer for the Soviet Navy, Ramius's uncle-in-law and mentor
The Americans and the British Dr. John Patrick "Jack" Ryan: Central Intelligence Agency liaison to the Secret Intelligence Service; former Marine lieutenant Commander Bartolomeo Vito "Bart" Mancuso, USN: Commanding officer of the Sonar Technician 1st Class Ronald "Jonesy" Jones, USN: Sonarman aboard Dallas who first identifies Red October and its silent drive. Vice-Admiral John White, 8th Earl of Weston: British Royal Navy officer commanding the aircraft carrier ; also a personal friend of Ryan. Lieutenant Owen Williams, RN British Royal Navy lieutenant serving aboard Invincible who accompanies Ryan to Red October because of his Russian language skills. Oliver Wendell "Skip" Tyler: Instructor at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland who does consulting work for the US Navy. A former naval officer, he was tasked by Ryan with identifying the construction variations in Red October, which he determines to be housing a new, silent propulsion system. Commander Robert Jefferson "Robby" Jackson, USN: Commanding officer of Fighter Squadron VF-41 out of the aircraft carrier Dr. Jeffrey Pelt: National Security Advisor to the US President Rear Admiral Charlie Davenport: Director of Naval Intelligence, U.S. Navy Arthur Moore: Director of Central Intelligence Vice Admiral James Greer, USN: CIA Deputy Director (Intelligence) Robert Ritter: CIA Deputy Director (Operations) Themes