When a volatile Russian nationalist and a rebel faction of the former Soviet Union Army seize control of a nuclear missile base, it triggers the greatest global emergency since the Cuban Missile Crisis. With the world on the brink of disaster, the USS Alabama sets sail, patrolling Russian waters with enough nuclear firepower to start World War III. As the crisis escalates, the unthinkable occurs: the Alabama is given an order to launch its nuclear missles. In the resulting chaos, two dedicated naval officers--the Alabama's seasoned commander, Captain Frank Ramsey, and his brilliant executive officer, Lieutenant Commander Ron Hunter--clash over the validity of their orders and vie for control of the sub.