Did anyone see...
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Europe
Age: 56
Posts: 409
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Did anyone see...
the programme on BBC last night about the USS Abraham Lincoln doing work up training for Gulf War II?
I thought it was very good. Much respect to the crews of these amazing machines.
I thought it was very good. Much respect to the crews of these amazing machines.
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: UK
Posts: 591
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Notwithstanding geographical inexactitudes, the prog reminded me that the US forces manage to maintain high levels of discipline and efficiency, without much of the flummery, elitism and meaningless bollox that still pervade within certain areas of our own armed forces.
Join Date: May 2002
Location: UK
Posts: 224
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
interesting, the opinion at work today was that the program was not all that good. Waaaay too much attention paid to the airwing, with barely a moments notice for the crew who keep the ship running. I know its sexier showing planes landing and taking off, but it would have been nice to see what others do as well.
Secondly - the USN has insane watches, why do they need to do 16 hour watches? Is this some bizzare macho thing or is there a military need to do this? Working a 16 hour watch burns people out too fast - it would seem to make more sense for 12/12 or 8/8 watches instead?
Secondly - the USN has insane watches, why do they need to do 16 hour watches? Is this some bizzare macho thing or is there a military need to do this? Working a 16 hour watch burns people out too fast - it would seem to make more sense for 12/12 or 8/8 watches instead?
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Hampshire, UK
Posts: 37
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Very interesting...always impressed at how well Americans come over on interview. It was especially interesting that the 'subjects' had real stories and conflicts in their lives.
If it had been UK forces, I suspect there'd have been (at least) long talks and probably trouble getting permission to use/show a young Mum getting divorced though her commitment (and whose three year old son simply said on deployment 'go and play with your airplanes'), or the Muslem electrician having a row on the phone with his US-bound fiance about money. But this made them credible, and demonstrated their humanity and the belief they have, right or wrong.
Any other views on whether these people should have been used (or not?).
If it had been UK forces, I suspect there'd have been (at least) long talks and probably trouble getting permission to use/show a young Mum getting divorced though her commitment (and whose three year old son simply said on deployment 'go and play with your airplanes'), or the Muslem electrician having a row on the phone with his US-bound fiance about money. But this made them credible, and demonstrated their humanity and the belief they have, right or wrong.
Any other views on whether these people should have been used (or not?).
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: North Weald, UK
Posts: 357
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Interesting programme, although I was surprised that there was only one Muslim on board out of a complement of 6000.
What pi55ed me off was that they would start to show an in-cockpit shot of the jet coming in on finals, then cutting away to a spectator view of it landing. I've seen loads of film of carrier landing, but never from inside the cockpit :o
To their credit, they did show a night landing from the cockpit from start to finish, which looked scarey and confirmed my view that its easier to stop & land rather than land & stop.
What pi55ed me off was that they would start to show an in-cockpit shot of the jet coming in on finals, then cutting away to a spectator view of it landing. I've seen loads of film of carrier landing, but never from inside the cockpit :o
To their credit, they did show a night landing from the cockpit from start to finish, which looked scarey and confirmed my view that its easier to stop & land rather than land & stop.
....thought the young Muslim made the point about what (or not) constitutes "jihad" well (assuming he was right).
....was not surprised to see how everything stopped on-board when "Dubya" was on the TV. If he'd told them to go and jump overboard, half the crew would have probably done it.
As for the Petty Officer in charge of the yellow jackets, it seemed like many years of not being able to hear himself think out on the Flight Deck had taken it's toll
On the whole, a pretty good effort by Auntie Beeb, I thought.
....was not surprised to see how everything stopped on-board when "Dubya" was on the TV. If he'd told them to go and jump overboard, half the crew would have probably done it.
As for the Petty Officer in charge of the yellow jackets, it seemed like many years of not being able to hear himself think out on the Flight Deck had taken it's toll
On the whole, a pretty good effort by Auntie Beeb, I thought.
Interesting thing was that they were able to call home, get emails, watch baseball - all from a boat in the oggsplosh. Just like the facilities we get on det/ops! In fact, better than we get in the home of the living-in personnel on a shore establishment.
