A new technologically superior Soviet nuclear sub, the Red October, is heading the the United States coast under the command of Captian Ramius. The American government thinks Ramius is planning to attack. A lone CIA analyst has a different idea: he thinks Ramius is planning to defect, but he has only a few hours to find him and prove it. At the same time, the entire Russian naval and air commands are trying to find Ramius too.

CIA analyst Jack Ryan tries to figure out if Russian submarine captain Marko Ramius is planning to attack the U.S. coast or planning to defect; after former CIA analyst Jack Ryan prevents the assassination of a member of the British royal family, one of the terrorists plans to take revenge on Ryan's family, which leads to Ryan's return to the CIA; CIA agent Jack Ryan's assignment is to investigate the murder of one of the President's friends, a prominent...

CIA analyst Jack Ryan tries to figure out if Russian submarine captain Marko Ramius is planning to attack the U.S. coast or planning to defect; after former CIA analyst Jack Ryan prevents the assassination of a member of the British royal family, one of the terrorists plans to take revenge on Ryan's family, which leads to Ryan's return to the CIA; CIA agent Jack Ryan's assignment is to investigate the murder of one of the President's friends, a prominent...