Other mistake: I was so bugged by protocol errors in early episodes that I stopped watching. For example, there were at least 2 episodes where Navy or Marine officers in utility uniforms were wearing Army brass on their collars. In one episode, "Harm" is walking with his female partner through a garage. He returns the salute of an enlisted man who walks by, but she doesn't. In any event, the garage was indoors, where Naval Service protocol says you don't salute.
Other mistake: After the first meeting with the JAG team and Secretary Blair to negotiate The Return of the F-14, Captain Fuente refers to Meg as "lieutenant commander". Harm is the LCDR; Meg is a lieutenant, junior grade. It's not just a character mistake: Meg's shoulder insignias indicate her rank. (00:24:30)
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 ★