Crimson Tide

[Thedelldays]

Just watching this at the mo.....

 

great film and poses many questions..

one of which, how on earth did the US leave complete control of nuclear weapons with one man on his sub in the middle of nowhere

[alpine_saint]

You sure you watched this film properly ?

 

I though the whole point was that Denzil Washington disagreed with the standing order, preventing launch, and the conflicting positons caused the conflict between crew members on the Alabahma.

 

So its hardly one man making the decision. The XO has to agree.

 

First time I watched this, I thought "great film" until the last 5 mins when Denzil Washington got his unecessary and out-of-place agenda-driven racism jibe in.

[Thedelldays]

You sure you watched this film properly ?

 

I though the whole point was that Denzil Washington disagreed with the standing order, preventing launch, and the conflicting positons caused the conflict between crew members on the Alabahma.

 

So its hardly one man making the decision. The XO has to agree.

 

First time I watched this, I thought "great film" until the last 5 mins when Denzil Washington got his unecessary and out-of-place agenda-driven racism jibe in.

 

yes have seen it many times...but ultimately, during this film, the boat could just crack on and launch missiles.....not the case anymore though

 

also, its full of crap in so many way

[alpine_saint]

yes have seen it many times...but ultimately, during this film, the boat could just crack on and launch missiles.....not the case anymore though

 

also, its full of crap in so many way

 

Strange how two people can see things so differently.

 

No launch orders were valid unless the XO repeated them.

 

Hackman broke the Naval code by trying to replace Washington with the comms officer to repeat the orders.

 

Members of the staff officers obejcted and removed him from command.

 

(FWIW, I thought Hackman was in the right, and Washington was disobeying standing orders)

[Thedelldays]

Strange how two people can see things so differently.

 

No launch orders were valid unless the XO repeated them.

 

Hackman broke the Naval code by trying to replace Washington with the comms officer to repeat the orders.

 

Members of the staff officers obejcted and removed him from command.

 

(FWIW, I thought Hackman was in the right, and Washington was disobeying standing orders)

you are missing my point....the boat..ie those serving onboard could go rogue and launch missiles..

 

that cannot happen now (never could for us)

[alpine_saint]

you are missing my point....the boat..ie those serving onboard could go rogue and launch missiles..

 

that cannot happen now (never could for us)

 

And the probability of CO and XO (not to mention the WO) all going loopy is what, exactly ?

 

It worked for over 30 years, I just dont see your point, mate.

[Thedelldays]

And the probability of CO and XO (not to mention the WO) all going loopy is what, exactly ?

 

It worked for over 30 years, I just dont see your point, mate.

why did they change it..?

[alpine_saint]

I know you cannot tell us, but I would love to know what the contingency for loss of communications with the outside world on an "R" class or "V" class sub are/were in the case of our equivalent of Defcon 1..

[Thedelldays]

I know you cannot tell us, but I would love to know what the contingency for loss of communications with the outside world on an "R" class or "V" class sub are/were in the case of our equivalent of Defcon 1..

 

you are right,

 

I cant tell you

 

:-)

[alpine_saint]

why did they change it..?

 

Unless you know of something different not in the public domain, I assume because of improvements in C3 technology.

[alpine_saint]

In fairness TDD, this conversation is like playing poker with someone who knows what cards you are holding.

[Huffton]

I realise you can't go into too much detail TDD but how would a yank sub differ from an english one in launch protocol/safety?

[Thedelldays]

I realise you can't go into too much detail TDD but how would a yank sub differ from an english one in launch protocol/safety?

to be honest, I dont know a great deal with launch specifics...SSBNs are not my bag (thank christ)

 

I work in and around hunter-killers in the comms/intel field

 

what i can say is that it is simply nothing like that onboard at sea

Edited 6 October, 2011 by Thedelldays

[buctootim]

 

First time I watched this, I thought "great film" until the last 5 mins when Denzil Washington got his unecessary and out-of-place agenda-driven racism jibe in.

 

You saying the black guy effed the film up?

[anothersaintinsouthsea]

TDD, i didn't realise you were a submariner, surprised you don't mention it more often.....

[Deeps]

and so am I. (32 years on them)

[SW17James]

Forgive me as a non regular for jumping in, but I didn't know until recently that Crimson Tide is actually said to be based on the real life story of Russian Naval Officer Vasili Arkiphov and his actions during the Cuban Missile Crisis. In a remarkably similar -- albeit real life -- situation, Arkiphov as second in command had to talk his captain and political officer out of launching their nuclear warheads as they were being surrounded by American vessels firing depth charges. Convinced that the war had started, for the pride of Russia the captain felt they had no choice but to launch -- and Arkiphov talked him out of it. Of course had he not been able to do so, that probably would've been that.

 

Details of the event didn't emerge until relatively recently, making it clear that the Crisis actually brought the world closer to the brink than it occurred to even the main players at the time.

 

Just thought it might be of interest to anyone who hadn't heard of it -- it's still not that well known.