Itistheyear2006,andasuccessionofmassiveunderwaterexplosionshasleftthreeoftheworld'slargestoiltankersburningfiercelyinthemiddleoftheStraitofHormuz.UnitedStatesmilitaryintelligenceconcludethattheIranianshavefinallycarriedouttheirlong-standingthreattolayaminefieldacrossthenarrowseawayleadingtothePersianGulf.Worseyet,theyplainlydiditwiththeactiveassistanceofthePeople'sRebublicofChina.Asworldoilpricesgoberserk,AdmiralMorgan,theUSPresident'sNationalSecurityAdviser,ordertheUSNavyinstantlyintothearea-fivecarrierbattlegroups,sixtyships,whiletheminesweepersgodesperatelytowork.Irancanbecontained.ButAdmiralMorganroundsonChina,anddevelopsaplantoeliminatetheirbrand-newoilrefineryinHormuz,andthenflattentheirequallynewNavybaseinBurma.Inthedeadofnight,theNavuSEALSgoin,deliveredbytheageingsubmarineUSSShark,fortwosensationalclandestineattacks.ButinBurmatheyareontherun,pursuedbytheChineseacrossthelong,flatrice-growingdeltasoftheBasseinandIrrawaddyrivers.Thescenarioislethal.Shark'sCommandingOfficerdecideshecannotriskeverythingtosavethetwelveSEALS.Butthecrewisuneasy.EveryoneknowstheSEALShaveneverleftamanaloneonthebattlefield,deadoralive.Theyfacetheoldestmoralprobleminnavalwarfare:toriskthelivesofeveryoneandtheship,tosaveahandfulofmen..Achillingrestlesstaleofmodernwarfare.