Continuity mistake: Bud tells Harm that he was 11 years old when he took his first 'Tiger' cruise on the USS Arleigh Burke. However, the Arleigh Burke (DDG-51) was commissioned in 1991, which means Bud would only be 18 years old at the time of this episode.
Continuity mistake: When the Cubans prepare to fire the Harpoon missile there is a shot of the Mk13 launcher preparing the missile for firing. However, later in the episode when they fire, the shot shows the missile coming out of the vertical launch cells forward of the Mk 13 launcher.
Factual error: In this episode there is continual reference to the seahawk helicopter in the hanger. The helo that is pictured in the episode is a lot bigger than a seahawk and resembles a sea king. Oliver Hazard Perry class frigates can hold two seahawks but no Sea Kings.
Chosen answer: When landing on an aircraft carrier, a pilot "calls the ball" by confirming to the landing signal officer (LSO) that they have the carrier, and more specifically its landing guidance systems in sight. Carriers use a Fresnel lens system which is a light only visible at a certain angle, so if a pilot sees the "ball" they are at the correct altitude and glide slope for landing.
Sierra1 ★