Original subtitles

Narrator: THE CARRIER AIR WING--

\h\hIT’S THE U.S. NAVY’S FIRST LINE OF ATTACK...

THRUSTING AND SOARING TO ACTION.

Man: THE AIR WING \hHAS THE ABILITY

TO REALLY ACCOMPLISH ANY MISSION THAT IT’S BEEN GIVEN.

[JET ROARING]

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: OVER 70 POWERFUL AIRCRAFT...

EACH ONE WITH A CRUCIAL PURPOSE AND MISSION.

Man: IT DOESN’T JUST HAPPEN \h\h\h\h\h\hWITH ONE PERSON.

IT’S THE MOST INCREDIBLE, \h\h\hCOMPLEX TEAM SPORT.

Narrator: LEADING THE CHARGE,

\h\hTHE F-18 HORNETS AND SUPER HORNETS...

FEARLESS WARRIORS READY FOR BATTLE.

\h\h\h\h\hMan: WE CAN REALLY DO SOME DAMAGE IN THE BATTLEFIELD.

[EXPLOSIONS]

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: THIS IS THE INSIDE STORY

OF HOW NAVAL AVIATION \h\h\h\h\hHAD TO FIGHT

FOR ITS PLACE IN THE SKIES.

Man: FOR THE FIRST TIME, WE HAVE AN ACTUAL BATTLE

THAT SHOWS THAT THE AIRCRAFT IS ITS OWN OFFENSIVE WEAPON.

\hNarrator: TODAY IT’S THE AIR WING AVIATORS

THAT LEAD AMERICA’S FIGHT.

\h\hWoman: PEOPLE’S LIVES ARE DEPENDING ON YOU GETTING THERE

AND GETTING IT RIGHT.

♪

[EXPLOSION]

♪

♪

♪

Narrator: MARCH 2016.

DEEP IN THE ARABIAN GULF.

♪

SAILORS ON THE FLIGHT DECK \h\h\hOF THE U.S.S. TRUMAN

\h\h\h\hPREPARE A STRIKE GROUP OF NAVY AIRCRAFT FOR TAKEOFF.

THEIR DESTINATION: RAMADI...

THE CAPITAL OF ONE OF IRAQ’S \h\h\h\h\hLARGEST PROVINCES.

\h\h\h\h\hIT’S CURRENTLY UNDER THE IRON GRIP OF ISIS FORCES.

THE TRUMAN’S MISSION: TO HAMMER INSURGENTS FROM ABOVE

\h\hWITH THE CARRIER’S MOST POWERFUL WEAPON:

ITS AIR WING.

THE CARRIER AIR WING IS MADE UP

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hOF OVER 70 HIGHLY SPECIALIZED AIRCRAFT.

HELICOPTERS...

CARGO PLANES...

\h\h\h\h\hJETS DEDICATED TO ELECTRONIC ATTACK...

\hAND THE AIR WING’S MOST POTENT WEAPON:

ITS 48 F-18 HORNETS \hAND SUPER HORNETS.

\h\h\h\hTHEY’RE THE TIP OF THE AIR WING’S SPEAR.

\h\h\hBrett Louderback: IN OUR AIR WING WE HAVE

FOUR F-18 SQUADRONS,

\hWE HAVE AN F-18 CHARLIE SQUADRON,

WHICH IS THE AIRCRAFT \h\hYOU SEE BEHIND US,

\h\h\hAND THEN WE HAVE THREE F-18 SUPER HORNET SQUADRONS,

AND THEY MAKE UP THE PREMIER GROUP OF PILOTS AND AIRCRAFT

THAT BOTH DELIVER AIR-TO-AIR...

[EXPLOSION]

AND AIR-TO-GROUND ORDNANCE...

[EXPLOSION]

ON TARGET, ON TIME, EVERY TIME.

Narrator: TODAY, THE BRUNT \h\hOF THE AIR WING’S WORK

FALLS TO THESE LETHAL \h\h\hSTRIKE FIGHTERS.

THEY’RE THE ONLY ONES \h\hWITH THE FIREPOWER

\h\h\h\h\hTO HIT ISIS RIGHT WHERE IT COUNTS:

IN THE WALLET.

Russell Brown: THE INFORMATION \h\h\h\h\hTHAT WE HAD RECEIVED

FROM OUR INTELLIGENCE

\h\h\h\h\h\hWAS THAT ISIS FORCES HAD TAKEN OVER A CEMENT FACTORY

AND WERE RECEIVING HUNDREDS \h\hOF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS

TO FUND THEIR ORGANIZATION.

WE DECIDED IT WAS TIME TO DESTROY THAT TARGET

AND DENY THEM THAT ABILITY \h\h\hTO GENERATE REVENUE.

Narrator: INTELLIGENCE REVEALS \h\h\h\h\hSOMETHING ELSE, TOO:

A COMPLICATION.

\h\h\h\h\hTHE TARGET IS LOCATED IN A VILLAGE FULL OF CIVILIANS.

PILOTS HAVE TO BE EXTRA CAUTIOUS WHEN MAKING THE STRIKE.

Brown: IT WAS DECIDED,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTO MINIMIZE COLLATERAL DAMAGE CONCERNS,

THAT WE WOULD STRIKE THAT TARGET IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT

WHEN THERE WOULD BE THE LEAST NUMBER OF POSSIBLE CASUALTIES

IN AND AROUND THAT AREA.

[JET ENGINE WHIRRING]

Narrator: JUST BEFORE MIDNIGHT, BROWN AND NINE OTHER PILOTS

\hFIRE UP THEIR JETS ON THE FLIGHT DECK.

[ROARING]

ONE BY ONE, THEY LAUNCH NORTH \h\hINTO THE DARK OF NIGHT...

AND FLY TOWARD THE TARGET.

AS BROWN NEARS LAND,

HE AND THE OTHER F-18 PILOTS \h\h\h\h\hARE ON HIGH ALERT.

\h\h\h\hTHEY KNOW DARKNESS ALONE WON’T HIDE THEM FROM THE ENEMY.

Brown: ISIS HAS THE ABILITY TO SHOOT ROCKETS OR MISSILES

OR AIR DEFENSE ARTILLERY \h\h\h\hAT AN AIRCRAFT.

\hSO WE’LL STAY UP AS HIGH AS WE CAN

TO PREVENT THEM BEING ABLE \h\h\h\h\h\h\hTO TARGET US

WITH THAT SURFACE-TO-AIR \h\h\h\h\h\h\hORDNANCE.

♪

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: JUST BEFORE THEY HEAD INTO IRAQ,

\h\hTHE F-18s MEET UP WITH A KC-135 AIR FORCE TANKER.

TO MAKE IT TO HIS TARGET, \h\h\h\h\hBROWN NEEDS GAS.

Brown: WE ONLY HAVE ENOUGH GAS \h\hTO FLY FOR A COUPLE HOURS,

AND IT TAKES, OBVIOUSLY, \h\hA LITTLE BIT OF TIME

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTO TRANSIT THE SEVERAL HUNDRED MILES

FROM THE ARABIAN GULF

ALL THE WAY INTO OUR TARGET \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIN IRAQ.

Narrator: THE KC-135 \h\hUSES A LONG BOOM

FITTED WITH A SPECIAL CONNECTOR TO GAS UP THE SUPER HORNET.

\hBUT EVEN WITH THE RIGHT TOOLS, AN AERIAL REFUEL IS NEVER EASY.

Brown: I ALWAYS JUST GET \h\hA LITTLE BIT NERVOUS

\hKNOWING THAT YOU ARE REALLY HAVING

A CONTROLLED MIDAIR COLLISION \h\h\h\hWITH ANOTHER AIRPLANE.

IT CAN BE A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE

IF YOU’RE NOT AS SMOOTH \h\hAS YOU’D LIKE TO BE.

Narrator: TODAY, BROWN’S SKILLS ARE UP TO SNUFF.

HE AND THE OTHER F-18s \h\h\hFUEL UP QUICKLY.

\h\h\hA FULL TANK GIVES BROWN TWO MORE HOURS OF FLIGHT TIME.

TIME HE CAN’T AFFORD TO LOSE.

\h\h\hHE AND THE OTHER JETS SPEED TOWARDS THEIR TARGET.

THE PLAN IS FOR THE F-18s \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTO CONVENE

\h\h\hJUST BEFORE STRIKE TIME AND THEN ALL MOVE IN AT ONCE.

Brown: THE IDEA WAS TO KEEP THE AIRCRAFT AWAY FROM THE TARGET

SO THAT THE ENEMY DOES NOT KNOW THAT WE ARE COMING.

Narrator: IN ISIS TERRITORY,

FIGHTERS STAND GUARD \hAROUND THE CLOCK.

IF THEY DETECT THE F-18s,

THEY COULD DASH BROWN’S HOPES OF AVOIDING CIVILIAN CASUALTIES.

Brown: THERE’S ALWAYS A CONCERN THAT IF YOU ALERT THE ENEMY

THAT YOU’RE ABOUT TO DESTROY \h\hONE OF THEIR TARGETS...

WHO KNOWS HOW THEY WOULD REACT?

POTENTIALLY TRYING TO DETER US \h\h\h\h\hFROM DROPPING BOMBS

BY BRINGING CIVILIANS \h\h\hINTO THAT AREA.

Narrator: IT WOULDN’T BE \h\h\h\h\hTHE FIRST TIME

ISIS HAS USED CIVILIANS \h\hAS HUMAN SHIELDS...

\hA SCENARIO THAT KEEPS F-18 PILOTS UP AT NIGHT.

Brown: I CAN JUSTIFY TAKING \hTHE LIFE OF ISIS FIGHTERS.

BUT WHAT I CAN’T STAND FOR

\h\h\h\hIS THE KILLING OF INNOCENT CIVILIANS.

[JETS ROARING]

Narrator: HIGH ABOVE IRAQ, BROWN AND THE OTHER SUPER HORNETS

CIRCLE THE ISIS STRONGHOLD.

\hBrown: THE CEMENT FACTORY WAS A FAIRLY LARGE FACILITY,

\h\h\h\hSO THERE WAS ALL DIFFERENT MANNER

OF DESIRED POINTS OF IMPACT.

\hNarrator: IN THIS MISSION, PARTIAL DAMAGE WON’T CUT IT.

\h\hIT WILL TAKE BOMBS FROM EACH SUPER HORNET

TO DESTROY THE TARGET \h\h\h\h\hCOMPLETELY.

Brown: SO MY PARTICULAR AIRCRAFT WAS LOADED WITH FOUR GBU-31,

\h\h\h\h\hWHICH IS 2,000-POUND JOINT DIRECT ATTACK MUNITIONS,

WHICH IS A GPS-GUIDED PRECISION STRIKE BOMB.

Narrator: BROWN’S SUPER HORNET \h\h\h\h\hWAS MADE TO DELIVER

A POTENT STING TO THE ENEMY.

11 DIFFERENT WEAPONS STATIONS

ACCOMMODATE UP TO 17,750 POUNDS OF BOMBS AND MISSILES.

\h\h\h\h\h\hLouderback: WE CAN CARRY A MULTITUDE

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hOF AIR-TO-AIR AND AIR-TO-SURFACE MUNITIONS,

\hWHICH MAKES OUR AIRCRAFT ONE OF THE MOST VERSATILE

IN THE NATION’S INVENTORY.

[EXPLOSIONS]

Narrator: THE SUPER HORNET’S \h\h\h\h\h\h\hBOMB OF CHOICE

\h\h\h\h\h\hIS THE GPS-GUIDED JOINT DIRECT ATTACK MUNITION,

OR JDAM FOR SHORT.

Louderback: THE SUPER HORNET CAN CARRY DIFFERENT WEIGHTS

OF WARHEADS ON BOARD.

SO WE NORMALLY CARRY

ANYWHERE BETWEEN A 500, 1,000, \h\hAND A 2,000-POUND WARHEAD.

\hNarrator: WHATEVER THE SIZE, PILOTS CAN COUNT ON ONE THING:

ACCURACY.

[EXPLOSION]

EACH JDAM CAN STRIKE ITS TARGET WITHIN 40 FEET.

[EXPLOSION]

Louderback: THE SUPER HORNET \hCAN REALLY DO SOME DAMAGE

IN THE BATTLEFIELD.

♪

Narrator: BACK OVER IRAQ, \h\h\h\h\hLIEUTENANT BROWN

TAKES ONE LAST LOOK \h\h\hAT HIS TARGET.

SO FAR, ISIS GUARDS SEEM TO BE \h\h\hUNAWARE THAT HE’S THERE.

Brown: WE HAD VISUALLY CONFIRMED THAT THERE WERE NO CIVILIANS,

\h\h\hAND NOW WE WANTED TO DROP THOSE BOMBS AS QUICK AS WE COULD

\h\hJUST TO AVOID HAVING THE DYNAMIC ENVIRONMENT

\h\hON THE GROUND CHANGE IN ANY WAY.

Narrator: BROWN AND THE OTHER \h\h\h\h\h\h\hF-18s GET READY.

ONCE THE STRIKE STARTS, THEIR \hTIMINGS HAVE TO BE PERFECT.

Brown: WE’RE ALL GOING TO PUSH \h\h\hON ONE-MINUTE INTERVALS

AND DROP OUR BOMBS \h\hON THE TARGET.

IF YOU DROP ALL THE BOMBS \h\h\h\hAT THE SAME TIME,

IT’S SUCH A MASSIVE EXPLOSION

THAT IT COULD PREVENT \h\hTHE OTHER HORNETS

FROM BEING ABLE TO VISUALLY \h\h\hACQUIRE THEIR TARGETS.

Narrator: BROWN’S F-18 WILL LEAD THE STRIKE.

HE HAS LESS THAN A MINUTE \h\hTO GET IN AND GET OUT

BEFORE THE NEXT SUPER HORNET \h\h\h\hMUST DROP ITS BOMBS.

IF HE MISSES HIS CUE, HE COULD THROW OFF THE ENTIRE MISSION.

♪

THOUSANDS OF FEET ABOVE IRAQ,

LIEUTENANT RUSSELL BROWN \h\hAND NINE OTHER F-18s

CLOSE IN ON A HIGH-VALUE \h\h\h\h\h\hISIS TARGET.

\h\h\hBROWN DIVES DOWN IN HIS SUPER HORNET...

\h\h\h\h\hAND RELEASES 8,000 POUNDS OF BOMBS.

Brown: I ACTUALLY FELT THE WINGS SHUDDER A LITTLE BIT

AS THE ORDNANCE RELEASED \h\h\h\hOFF OF THAT JET.

I FELT A LITTLE BIT \h\h\hOF ANXIOUSNESS

\h\h\h\h\h\hJUST WAITING FOR THOSE BOMBS TO HIT.

[EXPLOSIONS]

Narrator: BROWN’S BOMBS ARE RIGHT ON THE MONEY.

[EXPLOSIONS]

NINE OTHER F-18s FOLLOW.

AS THE DUST SETTLES, THE DAMAGE IS CLEAR.

Brown: MISSION ACCOMPLISHED. \hCEMENT FACTORY DESTROYED.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: FOR THE NEXT THREE MONTHS,

PILOTS FROM THE U.S.S. TRUMAN

CONTINUE TO WIPE OUT ISIS STRONGHOLDS...

FLYING OVER 2,000 SORTIES...

AND DROPPING THE MOST BOMBS EVER IN A SINGLE DEPLOYMENT.

[EXPLOSIONS]

Brown: WE HAD A DRASTIC IMPACT

ON THE ABILITY FOR ISIS \h\h\h\h\h\hTO WAGE WAR,

SO THERE WAS CERTAINLY \h\h\h\hA BIT OF PRIDE

HAVING PARTICIPATED IN THAT.

I WOULD HOPE THAT ANY TIME

ISIS KNOWS THAT A NAVY F-18 \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIS OVERHEAD,

THAT THERE’S NOT A WHOLE LOT \h\h\h\h\h\hTHAT THEY CAN DO

TO AVOID RUNNING FROM US \h\h\hOR HIDING FROM US.

BECAUSE WE’RE SO GOOD \h\h\h\h\hAT OUR JOBS

AT FINDING AND DESTROYING \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHE ENEMY,

I WOULD HOPE THAT THEY FEEL \h\hA SENSE OF HOPELESSNESS

KNOWING THAT THE NAVY \h\h\h\h\hIS OVERHEAD

AND THAT THEIR TIME HAS COME.

\h\h\h\hNarrator: THIS IS NAVAL AVIATION’S MISSION:

\h\h\hTO PROVIDE AMERICA WITH UNLIMITED AIR POWER

\h\hAND RESPOND QUICKLY TO INTERNATIONAL CRISIS.

IT’S BEEN THIS WAY

EVER SINCE THE CARRIER AIR WING CAME INTO EXISTENCE.

[ROARING]

♪

THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER \h\hAND ITS AIR WING

HAVE BEEN THE CENTERPIECE \h\h\h\hOF NAVAL STRATEGY

FOR MORE THAN 70 YEARS...

BUT THIS WASN’T ALWAYS THE CASE.

[GUNS FIRING]

James Rentfrow: AT THE TURN \h\h\h\hOF THE 20th CENTURY,

BATTLESHIPS WERE THE BIG THING.

IN AN ERA WITHOUT RADAR,

IN AN ERA WITHOUT GPS, \hWITHOUT SATELLITES,

THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WITH USING \h\h\hOUR BIG GUNS EFFECTIVELY

\hWAS WE DIDN’T KNOW WHERE THE ENEMY WAS.

SO, THE BIG IDEA BEHIND AVIATION

\hWAS THAT THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO SPOT FOR THE NAVAL GUNFIRE.

Narrator: IN WORLD WAR I,

\h\hNAVAL AIRCRAFT TAKE ON ANOTHER MISSION: BOMBING.

\hAVIATORS FLY FROM BASES IN THE U.S. AND EUROPE...

\hAND BOMB OVER 30 ENEMY SUBMARINES.

BY THE END OF THE WAR, \h\hTHE NAVY HAS GONE

FROM 54 AIRCRAFT TO ALMOST 2,000.

Rentfrow: WE’RE STARTING TO TALK

\h\h\hABOUT THIS THING CALLED AIR POWER AND AIR SUPERIORITY.

\h\h\hWE STILL THINK THAT THE DECISIVE NAVAL BATTLE

IS GOING TO HAPPEN \hWITH NAVAL GUNS,

\h\h\hBUT WE WANT CONTROL OF THE AIRSPACE OVER THAT.

Narrator: IN 1922,

THE UNITED STATES COMMISSIONS \hITS FIRST AIRCRAFT CARRIER:

THE U.S.S. LANGLEY.

TWO MORE FOLLOW:

\h\hTHE U.S.S. LEXINGTON AND THE U.S.S. SARATOGA.

\hTHE ONLY PROBLEM: ADMIRALS CAN’T AGREE

\h\h\h\h\hHOW TO USE THEM AND THE AIRCRAFT ON BOARD.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hRentfrow: THE TENSION IS BETWEEN THOSE

WHO WANT THE AIRCRAFT CARRIERS

TO PROVIDE THE RECONNAISSANCE \h\h\h\h\h\h\hAND THE SPOTTING

AND THOSE THAT WANT TO SEPARATE IT FROM THE BATTLE LINE

AND TO ALLOW IT TO OPERATE \h\h\h\h\h\hINDEPENDENTLY.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: THROUGH THE INTERWAR YEARS,

\h\hTHE NAVY EXPERIMENTS WITH NEW WAYS TO FIGHT.

Rentfrow: THE NAVY EVERY YEAR \h\h\h\h\hWOULD BRING TOGETHER

PRETTY MUCH THE ENTIRE FLEET TO DO A BIG OPERATIONAL EXERCISE,

AND THESE WERE CALLED \h\h\hFLEET PROBLEMS.

Narrator: IN 1929,

\hTHE NAVY RUNS AN EXERCISE CALLED "FLEET PROBLEM NINE."

AVIATORS SEIZE THE CHANCE

TO PROVE JUST HOW POWERFUL \h\hTHEIR AIRCRAFT CAN BE.

Rentfrow: FLEET PROBLEM NINE

\h\h\hHAS A SPECIAL PLACE IN NAVAL AVIATION HISTORY

BECAUSE RATHER THAN BEING TIED \h\hTO THE SLOWER BATTLESHIPS,

THE CARRIER INDEPENDENTLY \h\h\hLAUNCHED AN ATTACK.

AND THIS WAS DONE \hBY AN AIR STRIKE

FROM AN AIRCRAFT CARRIER.

\h\hNarrator: THE AIR STRIKE EASILY TAKES OUT ITS TARGET.

NAVY UMPIRES DECLARE VICTORY \h\h\h\hFOR THE AVIATORS...

BUT THE IDEA THAT A CARRIER IS MORE THAN A SUPPORT SHIP

IS TOO RADICAL TO TAKE HOLD.

\h\h\h\hWHILE THE NAVY SQUABBLES ABOUT THE ROLE OF ITS AIRCRAFT,

\h\hJAPAN DEVELOPS ITS CARRIERS, TOO.

IT WILL SOON SHOW THE WORLD

\h\h\h\h\h\hEXACTLY WHAT NAVAL AIR POWER CAN DO.

DECEMBER 7, 1941.

PEARL HARBOR, HAWAII.

SIX CARRIERS’ WORTH OF JAPANESE BOMBERS

LAUNCH A SURPRISE ATTACK \hON THE UNITED STATES.

[EXPLOSION]

\hRentfrow: PEARL HARBOR IS THE WATERSHED MOMENT

FOR NAVAL AVIATION,

BECAUSE IT REALLY PROVED \h\h\h\h\h\h\hSOMETHING

\h\h\hTHAT THE JAPANESE WERE VERY, VERY GOOD AT.

AND THAT IS INDEPENDENTLY \h\h\h\hOPERATING CARRIERS

\hAS A STRIKE FORCE IN AND OF THEMSELVES

SEPARATE FROM THE BATTLE LINE.

WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT \h\h\hIS 300 AIRCRAFT

CARRYING OUT AN EXPERTLY PLANNED AND EXECUTED STRIKE MISSION.

Narrator: EIGHT U.S. BATTLESHIPS ARE DESTROYED OR DAMAGED.

THE NAVY HAS NO CHOICE

BUT TO RELY ON ITS THREE PACIFIC FLEET CARRIERS.

\h\h\h\h\hSIX MONTHS LATER, AMERICA LOOKS FOR REVENGE...

\h\hBY DEPLOYING A NAVAL STRIKE FORCE OF ITS OWN.

MAY 1942.

THE PACIFIC THEATRE.

\hTHE IMPERIAL JAPANESE NAVY SENDS CARRIERS AND WARSHIPS

\h\hDEEP INTO THE CORAL SEA OFF THE COAST OF AUSTRALIA.

THEIR GOAL: TO CUT OFF \h\h\h\hCOMMUNICATIONS

\h\hBETWEEN AUSTRALIA AND THE UNITED STATES.

THE U.S. NAVY GETS WIND \h\h\h\h\hOF THE PLAN...

AND COUNTERS WITH THE CARRIERS \h\h\hLEXINGTON AND YORKTOWN.

THEY SETTLE IN 70 MILES AWAY \hFROM THE JAPANESE NAVY...

AND SEND THEIR AIRCRAFT \h\h\h\h\hOFF TO FIGHT.

Rentfrow: BATTLE OF CORAL SEA

\h\hIS SORT OF ANOTHER ONE OF THESE WATERSHED MOMENTS

FOR NAVAL AVIATION,

\h\h\h\hBECAUSE IT IS THE FIRST NAVAL BATTLE

THAT HAPPENS WHEN THE CAPITAL WARSHIPS NEVER SEE EACH OTHER.

Narrator: JAPANESE FIGHTERS \hDIVE BOMB THE AMERICANS...

[EXPLOSION]

\hSINKING ONE CARRIER AND DAMAGING ANOTHER.

\h\h\hTHE AMERICANS SINK ONE OF THE JAPANESE CARRIERS...

AND DAMAGE TWO MORE.

Rentfrow: TECHNICALLY, \hCORAL SEA IS A DRAW.

\h\h\hTHE CARRIER OF OURS THAT THEY SUNK WAS BIGGER.

SO, IF YOU WANT TO LOOK \h\h\h\h\h\hAT TONNAGE,

YOU WOULD SAY THAT THE JAPANESE WON THAT DRAW.

BUT THEY HAD TO TURN AWAY.

Narrator: THE JAPANESE RETREAT \h\h\h\h\hIS A MAJOR MILESTONE

FOR NAVAL AVIATION.

Rentfrow: SOME HISTORIANS WOULD ARGUE THAT CORAL SEA

\h\h\hIS THE TURNING POINT OF THE WAR IN THE PACIFIC

\h\h\hBECAUSE IT IS THE FIRST TIME EVER

THAT THE IMPERIAL JAPANESE NAVY HAD BEEN DENIED AN OBJECTIVE.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: BY THE END OF WORLD WAR II

THE CARRIER AND ITS AIR GROUP

\hHAS HELPED GIVE THE UNITED STATES

UNCONTESTED CONTROL OF THE SEAS.

\h\h\hRentfrow: THE CARRIER BECOMES THE CAPITAL WARSHIP.

\h\h\hTHE BATTLESHIP WAS THE CAPITAL SHIP

OF THE 1910s AND ’20s \h\hAND INTO THE ’30s,

AND NOW THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER \h\hIS THE CAPITAL WARSHIP.

Narrator: BUT SOON ENOUGH,

\h\h\hTHE NAVY FINDS ITSELF FACING A NEW FOE...AT HOME.

1947.

PRESIDENT HARRY S. TRUMAN SIGNS THE NATIONAL SECURITY ACT...

AND THE U.S. AIR FORCE IS BORN.

[RUMBLING]

THE AIR FORCE QUICKLY CLAIMS \h\h\h\h\h\hEXCLUSIVE ACCESS

\hTO THE MOST POWERFUL WEAPON EVER CREATED: THE ATOMIC BOMB.

Rentfrow: THE COLD WAR STORY

I THINK THAT WE REALLY NEED \h\h\hTO START TALKING ABOUT

IS NUCLEAR WEAPONS.

THE AIR FORCE HAS ONE, AND THE NAVY DOESN’T.

Narrator: THE AIR FORCE CLAIMS \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHAT SEA POWER

IS A THING OF THE PAST...

AND THAT NAVY CARRIERS \h\h\h\h\hAND AIRCRAFT

DON’T OFFER THE SAME BANG \h\h\h\h\h\hFOR THE BUCK.

Rentfrow: THE AIR FORCE SAYS,

INSTEAD OF SPENDING MONEY \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hON THAT,

WHY DON’T YOU SPEND MONEY \h\h\h\h\h\h\hON THIS B-36

\h\h\h\h\hTHAT CARRIES A BIG NUCLEAR WEAPON,

\h\h\hAND ALL THOSE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS

THAT YOU’RE SPENDING

ON ALL THOSE INCREDIBLY \h\hEXPENSIVE NAVY TOYS,

WHY DON’T WE JUST SAVE \h\h\h\h\hTHAT MONEY?

\h\h\h\hNarrator: IN 1949, THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

PROPOSES HUGE CUTS IN NAVAL PROGRAMS.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hRentfrow: THE AIR FORCE IS SUCCESSFUL

AT WRESTLING SOME FUNDING \h\h\hAWAY FROM THE NAVY.

THIS IS A THREAT TO THE VERY EXISTENCE OF NAVAL AVIATION.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: IT WILL TAKE ANOTHER WAR

TO SHOW JUST HOW VALUABLE \hTHE CARRIER AIR WING IS.

[GUNS FIRING]

JUNE 1950.

\h\hU.S. FORCES FIGHT A BLOODY BATTLE AGAINST NORTH KOREA...

\hTRYING TO PREVENT THE ENTIRE PENINSULA

\h\h\h\h\hFROM FALLING UNDER COMMUNIST RULE.

[ARTILLERY FIRE]

[MACHINE GUN FIRE]

Rentfrow: OUR VERY SMALL FORCES HAVE A PROBLEM.

AND THE PROBLEM IS THAT \hTHEY NEED AIR SUPPORT.

THE ENEMY IS ATTACKING THEM.

\h\hTHEY’RE HOLDING OUT THE BEST THAT THEY CAN.

\hNarrator: THE UNITED STATES FINDS THAT ITS NUCLEAR BOMBERS

ARE OF LITTLE USE.

\h\hRentfrow: THE PROBLEM IS THAT THEY HAVE NOT INVENTED

IN-FLIGHT AIR REFUELING YET.

ALL THE AIR FORCE FIGHTERS \hARE STATIONED IN JAPAN.

\h\hTHEY CAN’T GET THEM TO THE ACTION IN KOREA,

AND YOU CANNOT DO CLOSE AIR SUPPORT

WITH A B-36 AND A NUCLEAR BOMB.

SO, WHAT’S TO BE DONE?

THE ANSWER IS AIRCRAFT CARRIERS.

[ROARING]

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS,

NAVAL AVIATION IS A MAJOR FACTOR

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIN FRUSTRATING THE NORTH KOREAN ADVANCE...

[EXPLOSION]

AND FORCING THE ARMISTICE AGREEMENT ENDING THE WAR.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hRentfrow: IT’S NOT TOO MUCH OF A STRETCH

\hTO SAY THAT THE KOREAN WAR REALLY SAVED NAVAL AVIATION.

Narrator: SUDDENLY THE AIR WING IS IMPORTANT AGAIN.

\hOVER THE NEXT 20 YEARS, NAVAL AVIATION EXPLODES...

ADDING AIRCRAFT THAT DO MORE \h\h\h\h\h\hTHAN JUST BOMB.

THE NAVY DEVELOPS SPECIALIZED PLANES

\h\h\h\h\h\hFOR EVERYTHING FROM LONG-RANGE STRIKES...

TO RECONNAISSANCE...

TO HELICOPTERS THAT STAND BY FOR SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATIONS.

BY THE END OF THE VIETNAM WAR, \h\h\h\hTHE AIR WING HAS GROWN

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTO NEARLY 90 RADICALLY DIFFERENT PLANES...

MAKING LOGISTICS COMPLICATED \h\h\h\h\h\h\hAND EXPENSIVE.

Rentfrow: WE HAVE TO HAVE \h\h\h\h\hSEPARATE SYSTEMS

OF PARTS SUPPLIES,

WE HAVE TO HAVE SEPARATE WAYS \h\h\h\h\h\h\hTO TRAIN PEOPLE.

\h\hWE HAVE TO HAVE AIRPLANES THAT FLY AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS,

HAVE DIFFERENT FUEL CONSUMPTIONS

AND DO DIFFERENT THINGS \h\hDURING THE MISSION.

IT’S DIFFICULT.

Narrator: THAT’S NOT THE ONLY CHALLENGE.

\h\h\h\hBY NOW, KEY NAVY PLANES ARE BEGINNING TO SHOW THEIR AGE.

IN 1973, THE NAVY MAKES \h\hA RADICAL DECISION:

TO REPLACE ITS MANY \h\h\hAGING AIRCRAFT

\h\h\h\h\hWITH A SINGLE MULTI-MISSION FIGHTER...

CAPABLE OF SWITCHING BETWEEN

AIR-TO-AIR AND AIR-TO-GROUND \h\h\h\hMISSIONS WITH EASE.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hRentfrow: GIVEN THE LIMITED SPACE

THAT’S ON AN AIRCRAFT CARRIER,

IT’S ALWAYS MORE DESIRABLE \h\h\h\hTO HAVE ONE PLANE

\h\h\h\hTHAT CAN PERFORM MORE THAN ONE FUNCTION.

Narrator: TWO YEARS LATER, THE NAVY MAKES ITS CHOICE:

THE TWIN-ENGINE YF-17.

IT’S CHEAP, SMALL, AND HAS ALL THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY.

\h\hRentfrow: WHAT’S COMING IS COMPUTERS AND ELECTRONICS

\hBOTH FOR ORDNANCE DELIVERY AND FOR FLYING THE AIRPLANE.

THAT’S THE THE BIG NEW THING \h\h\h\h\h\h\hCOMING ONLINE

FOR AIRPLANES IN THE 1970s.

\h\h\h\hNarrator: IN 1978, THE NEW AIRCRAFT ROLLS OUT

FOR OPERATIONAL TESTING...

AND GETS RENAMED THE F-18 HORNET.

[ROARING]

IT HAS TO WAIT SEVEN YEARS \h\h\hTO PROVE ITS WORTH.

JANUARY 1991.

THE U.S.S. SARATOGA LINGERS \h\h\hOFF THE COAST OF IRAQ.

ON BOARD: CARRIER AIR WING 17...

INCLUDING THE FLEDGLING \h\h\h\h\hF/A-18 HORNET.

THE FIRST DAYTIME MISSION OF OPERATION DESERT STORM

IS ABOUT TO LAUNCH.

F-18 PILOTS GET READY \h\h\h\h\hFOR ACTION.

TODAY, THEY WILL ATTACK \hIRAQI AIR DEFENSES...

AND STOP THEM FROM SHOOTING DOWN COALITION AIRCRAFT.

Mark Fox: WE WERE GOING AFTER \h\h\hA TARGET IN WESTERN IRAQ

THAT’S KNOWN AS H-3.

\h\h\h\hIT’S AN AIRFIELD, AND SO WE WERE GOING AFTER

\h\hALL OF THE KEY TARGETS THAT WOULD PREVENT THE IRAQI MILITARY

\h\hFROM BEING ABLE TO USE THAT AIRFIELD AGAINST US.

♪

Narrator: THE PROBLEM?

\h\h\h\h\h\hH-3 IS SURROUNDED BY SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILES...

\h\h\hWEAPONS THAT CAN DESTROY A NAVY PLANE FROM MILES AWAY.

IT WILL TAKE NEARLY EVERY PLANE IN THE AIR WING

\hTO GIVE THE U.S. A FIGHTING CHANCE.

Fox: IT WAS ONE OF THOSE CASES

\h\h\h\hWHERE YOU’RE GOING INTO A HIGH THREAT TARGET,

AND YOU’RE GONNA JUST DO \h\h\hTHE BEST YOU CAN.

Narrator: EARLY THAT AFTERNOON,

\h\h\h\h\hTHE AIRCRAFT OF CARRIER AIR WING 17

LINE UP ON THE DECK...

\h\h\hREADY TO HEAD INTO IRAQI AIRSPACE.

\h\h\h\h\hEVERY SINGLE ONE HAS A CRUCIAL GOAL AND A MISSION.

AN E-2C HAWKEYE LEADS THE WAY, \hREADY TO ALERT FOX’S HORNET

TO ANY THREATS ON THE GROUND \h\h\h\h\h\h\hOR IN THE AIR.

THIS ELECTRONIC OVERLORD CARRIES

MORE THAN 12,000 POUNDS \h\h\h\h\hOF TECHNOLOGY.

A SINGLE HAWKEYE CAN MONITOR

6 MILLION CUBIC MILES \h\h\h\h\hOF AIRSPACE

AND 150,000 SQUARE MILES \h\h\h\h\h\h\hOF GROUND.

IT TRACKS ENEMY MISSILES \h\h\h\h\h\hAND AIRCRAFT

MORE THAN 200 MILES AWAY.

UP NEXT: THE F-14 TOMCATS.

\h\h\h\h\hTHEIR MISSION: PROTECT THE HORNETS FROM ANY ENEMY JETS.

\hNEXT TO LAUNCH... THE E/A-6B PROWLERS:

\h\h\hCARRYING HIGH-SPEED ANTI-RADIATION MISSILES...

OR HARMS.

\hTHEIR JOB IS TO ATTACK SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILES

BEFORE THEY CAN SHOOT.

THE LAST TO LAUNCH: FOUR F-18s.

\hTHEY MUST DO THE DIRTY WORK: BOMB THE TARGET INTO OBLIVION.

TO DO THAT, THEY’RE LOADED UP WITH FOUR 2,000-POUND BOMBS...

\h\h\hMAKING THE HORNET MUCH LESS MANEUVERABLE.

[ROARING]

THEY MUST LEAN ON THE OTHER \h\h\hPLANES IN THE AIR WING

TO GIVE THEM THE BEST CHANCE \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hOF SURVIVAL.

Fox: YOU HAVE ALL OF THESE \h\h\hDIFFERENT AIRPLANES

\h\h\hTHAT ARE DOING DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS,

AND YOU HAVE TO PUT IT TOGETHER.

AND YOU WORK TOGETHER

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAND YOU UNDERSTAND HOW TO MAKE A TEAM REALLY WORK.

\h\h\hNarrator: FOX MAY HAVE THE AIR WING TO BACK HIM UP,

BUT HE KNOWS THAT IN WAR \hANYTHING COULD HAPPEN.

Fox: YOU’RE REALLY GOING INTO, \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hINTO AN ABYSS

THAT YOU JUST DON’T KNOW HOW IT’S GONNA TURN OUT.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: NOT LONG AFTER TAKEOFF,

FOX’S F-18 CROSSES INTO IRAQ.

♪

WITHIN MINUTES, HE FACES \hTHE REALITY OF COMBAT.

Fox: ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS \h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHAT I NOTICED

\hWAS THERE ARE CONTRAILS COMING OVER OUR SHOULDERS

KIND OF ON EITHER SIDE, HIGH,

AND AT FIRST THERE WAS \h\h\hA BIT OF A JOLT.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: BUT THE CONTRAILS AREN’T COMING

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hFROM IRAQI SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILES...

THEY’RE COMING FROM THE PROWLERS FIRING OFF THEIR HARMS.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hFox: THESE ARE THE ANTI-RADIATION MISSILES

THAT ARE BEING FIRED AGAINST \h\hTHE DEFENSES AROUND H-3.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAND SO IT WENT FROM A LITTLE BIT OF A JOLT

TO SEE CONTRAILS KIND OF GOING \h\h\h\h\hOVER YOUR SHOULDERS

\h\h\hTO, OH, THAT’S A REALLY GOOD THING.

I LIKE WHAT I’M SEEING.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: 30 MILES SOUTH OF THE TARGET,

FOX’S RADIO CRACKLES.

[RADIO CHATTER]

\h\h\hIT’S THE E-2C HAWKEYE REACHING OUT WITH A WARNING.

Fox: AS WE’RE APPROACHING \h\h\h\h\hTHE TARGET AREA,

THE E-2 WAS MAKING CALLS \h\h\h\h\hABOUT BANDITS.

IN THOSE DAYS A BANDIT MEANT

\h\h\h\h\h\hTHAT THAT WAS A CONFIRMED KNOWN HOSTILE.

Man on radio: NEW PICTURE, \h\h\hBANDIT, 1-9-0, 20...

Narrator: THIS HOSTILE \h\hIS AN IRAQI MIG...

\h\hBUT FOX DOESN’T WORRY ABOUT THE HAWKEYE’S CALLS.

HE KNOWS THE F-14 TOMCATS \h\h\h\hARE ON THE PROWL.

Fox: I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT IT,

\h\hBUT AT THE SAME TIME, LIKE, THAT’S SOMEBODY ELSE’S PROBLEM,

\h\hIT’S NOT IN MY WAY, I’M GOING TO THE TARGET,

AND I WAS MORE CONCERNED ABOUT \hTHE SURFACE-TO-AIR PROBLEM.

\hNarrator: MOMENTS LATER, THE HAWKEYE’S CALL BECOMES URGENT.

Man on radio: 400, THAT BANDIT’S ON YOUR NOSE AT 15.

Fox: E-2 MADE THE CALL,

"400, THAT BANDIT’S ON YOUR NOSE AT 15!"

\hNarrator: AN IRAQI MIG-21 IS NOW JUST 15 MILES AWAY...

AND HEADING STRAIGHT FOR FOX \h\h\h\h\h\hAND HIS WINGMAN.

Man on radio: 400, RADAR CONTACT ON MY NOSE, MACH AT 28,000.

Fox: THESE IRAQI AIRPLANES \h\h\h\h\hARE IN THE MIDST

OF ALL OF THE SURFACE-TO-AIR \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hMISSILES.

\h\h\hSO THE TOMCATS ARE NOT REALLY ABLE

TO LEAN IN AND ENGAGE THESE GUYS

\h\h\hBECAUSE IT WOULD DRAG THEM INTO THE HEART OF THE DEFENSES.

Narrator: THE F-14s ARE \h\hNO HELP TO HIM NOW.

FOX IS ABOUT TO BE FACE-TO-FACE WITH AN ENEMY MIG.

Fox: THERE WAS NO REFLECTION, \hTHERE WAS NO INTROSPECTION,

IT WAS HE’S A KNOWN BAD GUY, AND HE’S BETWEEN ME AND THE TARGET.

I WANT TO KILL HIM.

♪

\hNarrator: 1991. DAY ONE OF OPERATION DESERT STORM.

30,000 FEET OVER WESTERN IRAQ, \h\h\h\hF/A-18 PILOT MARK FOX

IS NOSE-TO-NOSE WITH AN ENEMY \h\hMIG WHO’S CLOSING IN FAST.

\hFox: BY THIS TIME HE’S AT NINE MILES,

HE’S POINTING RIGHT AT ME.

HE’S AT MACH 1.3, \hI’M AT MACH .9,

SO ALMOST SUPERSONIC.

Man on radio: 200, BOGEY, \hI’M AT 28,000, 7 MILES.

CHECK 21.

Narrator: FOX HAS JUST SECONDS \h\h\h\hTO LOCK ON TO THE MIG

AND CHOOSE A WEAPON.

\h\h\hFox: INSIDE OF TEN MILES WE ALWAYS SELECT A SIDEWINDER,

A HEAT-SEEKING MISSILE.

\h\hIT’S A MORE MANEUVERABLE, IT’S A FIRE-AND-FORGET WEAPON.

I’D FIRED TWO OR THREE \h\h\h\h\hSIDEWINDERS

IN PREVIOUS MISSILE EXERCISES \h\h\h\hIN PEACETIME TRAINING,

\hAND THEY ALWAYS LEFT A BIG PLUME OF SMOKE.

\h\h\hI WAS JUST PROGRAMMED TO EXPECT A PLUME OF SMOKE.

[RADIO CHATTER]

BUT AS SOON AS THE MISSILE \h\h\h\hCAME OFF THE RAIL,

THERE WAS NO SMOKE TRAIL.

Narrator: FOX CAN’T AFFORD \h\h\h\hTO DOUBT HIS KILL.

HE LOCKS HIS RADAR \h\hON TO THE MIG.

\h\h\h\h\hFox: I SAID, WELL, HE WON’T GET AWAY FROM THIS,

\hAND AT THAT POINT SELECTED A SPARROW.

AS I’M SQUEEZING THE TRIGGER \h\h\h\h\h\h\hON THE SPARROW

THERE’S AN EXPLOSION.

[EXPLOSION]

THE FIRST MISSILE DID THE JOB.

AND THEN I WATCHED THE SPARROW \hACCELERATE, AND IT HIT HIM.

\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: TO HIS LEFT, FOX SEES ANOTHER MIG EXPLODE...

COURTESY OF HIS WINGMAN.

BUT THERE’S NO TIME \h\h\hTO CELEBRATE.

\h\hHIS HORNET STILL HAS 8,000 POUNDS OF BOMBS...

AND A TARGET TO DESTROY.

Fox: I ROLLED IN ON THE TARGET

AND POINT THE AIRPLANE \h\h\h\hAT THE GROUND.

AT THAT POINT, YOU’RE JUST DOING EVERYTHING YOU CAN

TO HAVE A VERY GOOD \hDIVE BOMBING RUN.

[EXPLOSION]

Narrator: FOX AND HIS WINGMAN SWARM OVER THE IRAQI AIRFIELD.

♪

IN JUST MINUTES, IT’S DEMOLISHED.

[EXPLOSION]

\hHE AND HIS WINGMAN HAVE THE FIRST AIR-TO-AIR KILLS

FOR THE NAVY’S NEW \h\hF/A-18 HORNET.

AND THE ONLY ONES \hOF DESERT STORM.

♪

IT’S THE F-18’S TRIUMPH...

\h\h\h\h\hBUT THE CREDIT GOES TO THE ENTIRE AIR WING CHAIN.

Fox: I ONLY REPRESENTED A PORTION OF THAT CHAIN.

IT DOESN’T JUST HAPPEN \h\h\hWITH ONE PERSON.

IT’S A MOSAIC OF PEOPLE

CONTRIBUTING TOWARDS AN OVERALL MISSION.

[ROARING]

♪

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: BY NOW, THE F-18 HORNET

\h\h\hIS THE FOUNDATION OF THE CARRIER AIR WING.

A YEAR AFTER DESERT STORM,

\hTHE NAVY ORDERS A SOUPED-UP F-18:

THE SUPER HORNET.

THE NEW SUPER HORNET \h\h\hIS 20% LARGER

THAN ITS HORNET BABY BROTHER...

AND CARRIES A THIRD MORE FUEL, \h\h\h\hINCREASING ITS RANGE.

ITS WING AREA IS 25% LARGER...

OFFERING TWO MORE STATIONS \h\h\h\hTO ADD ON WEAPONS.

IN 2003, THE NAVY BUILDS \h\hON THE SUPER HORNET

WITH THE EA-18G GROWLER...

DESIGNED TO REPLACE \hTHE EA-6B PROWLER

AND TAKE ON ELECTRONIC ATTACK.

NOW ALMOST ALL THE PLANES \h\h\h\h\hIN THE AIR WING

ARE SOME FORM OF F-18.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hRentfrow: RUNNING THE NAVY EFFECTIVELY

IS ALL ABOUT LOGISTICS.

WE HAVE TO GET ALL OF OUR STUFF TO A SHIP

THAT IS OUT IN THE MIDDLE \hOF THE OCEAN SOMEWHERE.

\h\h\hHAVING AN AIR WING THAT IS COMPOSED OF ONE SORT OF AIRPLANE

MAKES THAT A LOT EASIER.

♪

Narrator: BY 2008, THE NAVY HAS OVER 350 NEW SUPER HORNETS...

AND STARTS PHASING OUT THE VENERABLE HORNET.

BUT IN THE GLOBAL WAR ON TERROR,

\h\h\h\hTHE 25-YEAR-OLD AIRCRAFT STILL RESPONDS WHEN DUTY CALLS.

2008.

\hTHE U.S.S ABRAHAM LINCOLN CRUISES IN THE ARABIAN GULF.

FOR TWO MONTHS, THE CREW \hOF CARRIER AIR WING 9

\h\hHAS BEEN FIGHTING THE TERRORIST THREAT.

\h\hKristen Hansen: OUR CREWS WERE SPLIT INTO TWO SEGMENTS.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hWE STARTED OUT WITH OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM

FOR THE FIRST COUPLE OF MONTHS \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hOF DEPLOYMENT

AND THEN TRANSITIONED \h\h\h\hTO AFGHANISTAN

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTO PARTAKE IN OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM.

\h\h\hNarrator: IN THE MOUNTAINS OF AFGHANISTAN, TALIBAN SOLDIERS

MOUNT FREQUENT OFFENSIVES \hAGAINST AMERICAN FORCES.

[GUNFIRE]

IN JULY, THE U.S. LOSES \h\hITS 500th SOLDIER...

\h\h\h\hMAKING OPERATIONS HERE EVEN MORE DEADLY THAN IN IRAQ.

TO KEEP GROUND TROOPS SAFE,

THE NAVY ASKS ITS F-18 HORNETS \hTO BE A CONSTANT PRESENCE...

[ROARING]

AND PROVIDE CLOSE AIR SUPPORT \h\h\hIF SOMETHING GOES WRONG.

Hansen: A LOT OF THE TASKS \h\h\hWERE TIME-SENSITIVE.

SO, SOMEBODY WAS GETTING SHOT AT

OR TROOPS ON THE GROUND REALLY \hNEEDED OUR HELP IMMEDIATELY.

\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: TODAY, LIEUTENANT COMMANDER HANSEN

IS PART OF A TWO-FIGHTER TEAM...

FLYING WITH A SENIOR PILOT, \h\h\hWHO LEADS THE MISSION.

THE F-18s TAKE OFF \h\hFROM THE SHIP

ANTICIPATING AN ORDINARY DAY.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hHansen: WE JUST HAD GENERAL TASKING,

\h\h\hWHICH INVOLVED TALKING TO U.S. TROOPS ON THE GROUND

AND JUST HELP THEM OUT EITHER CLEARING ROUTES

OR LOOKING AT PARTICULAR SITES \hTHAT THEY WERE INTERESTED IN

TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE WERE \h\hNO ENEMY HANGING OUT IN.

Narrator: HANSEN AND HER WINGMAN

SCAN THE GROUND PATIENTLY \h\hFOR SIX LONG HOURS...

\h\hAND SEE NOTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY.

FINALLY, THEY’RE READY \h\h\h\h\hTO GO HOME.

Hansen: THE DAY HAD BEEN \h\h\h\hRELATIVELY SLOW.

WE HAD TALKED TO A COUPLE \h\hOF GUYS ON THE GROUND,

CHECKING OUT DIFFERENT THINGS \h\h\hTHEY WANTED US TO COVER.

AND THEN WE GOT THE WORD

THAT SOMEBODY NEEDED OUR PARTICULAR HELP.

\h\h\hYOU CAN GO DAYS AND MONTHS BEING ON JUST SIX-HOUR MISSIONS

WITH NOTHING GOING ON.

AND THEN, OUT OF NOWHERE \h\hSOMEBODY CALLS YOU,

AND LIKE, HEY, SOMEBODY \hNEEDS HELP RIGHT NOW.

\h\h\h\h\hSO YOU GO THROUGH THIS REALLY WEIRD TRANSITION

\hFROM HEY, I’M JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE

THAT I’M BEING METICULOUS AND LOOKING AT MY SENSORS

AND MAKING SURE THAT I’M TRYING TO FIND ANYTHING

THAT COULD POTENTIALLY HARM \h\h\h\h\h\hFRIENDLY FORCES

TO HEY, SOMEBODY’S ACTUALLY \h\h\h\hIN TROUBLE RIGHT NOW

AND THEY NEED YOUR HELP.

[TROOPS TALKING]

\h\h\hNarrator: THE CALL COMES FROM A SQUAD OF GROUND TROOPS

SOUTH OF KABUL.

THEY’VE BEEN TAKING FIRE \h\h\h\hFROM THE TALIBAN

SINCE EARLY THAT MORNING.

Hansen: THE GUYS ON THE GROUND

\h\h\hHAD TRACKED DOWN WHERE THE FIRING POSITION WAS AT.

\h\hSO, THEY WANTED TO DESTROY THE SITE

SO IT COULDN’T BE USED LATER ON.

Narrator: HANSEN AND HER WINGMAN ARE EAGER TO ASSIST.

\h\h\h\h\h\hBUT SPOTTING THE TALIBAN MORTAR SITE

FROM 50,000 FEET ABOVE

IS NOT AN EASY TASK.

Hansen: CONFIRMING THAT YOU ARE ON THE SAME TARGET

\hAS WHAT YOUR AIR CONTROLLER IS LOOKING AT FROM THE GROUND

IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST \h\hDIFFICULT THINGS TO DO.

YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT THINGS FROM DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES.

SO, THE GUYS ON THE GROUND \h\h\hCAN LOOK UP AND SAY,

"HEY, I SEE ONE MOUNTAIN. \h\hIT’S ON THE MOUNTAIN."

\hAND THE GUYS AIRBORNE ARE LOOKING BACK AT HIM

AND SAYING, "THAT’S COOL. \h\h\hI SEE TEN MOUNTAINS.

WHICH ONE ARE YOU \hTALKING ABOUT?"

\h\h\h\hNOT ONLY DO YOU HAVE TO FIND THE TARGET,

BUT YOU HAVE TO BE 100% SURE

THAT YOUR WEAPONS ARE GOING \h\h\h\h\h\hTO THAT TARGET,

\h\h\h\hBECAUSE THERE COULD BE FRIENDLY FORCES AROUND THERE,

EITHER OUR TROOPS OR AFGHANISTAN CIVILIANS THAT ARE AROUND.

[ROARING]

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: THE F-18s AND THE GROUND TROOPS

DON’T HAVE LONG TO SYNC UP.

TALIBAN SOLDIERS COULD RETURN \h\hTO THE SITE AT ANY MOMENT.

Soldier: COMING FROM... \h\hMOVING NORTH ON ABE.

Narrator: GROUND TROOPS QUICKLY RELAY THE COORDINATES...

HOPING TO RUSH THE STRIKE.

\h\h\h\h\hBUT WHEN SHE TRIES TO PUNCH IN THE LOCATION...

\h\h\h\hHANSEN DISCOVERS THAT SHE HAS A PROBLEM.

Hansen: I LOOKED DOWN \h\h\h\h\hTO MY SENSOR

\h\h\h\h\hAND REALIZED THAT MY TARGETING POD WASN’T WORKING.

IT’S DOING WHAT WE CALL \h\h\h\h\h\h\hTUMBLING.

\h\h\hIT WON’T LOCK ON TO WHAT I ACTUALLY NEED IT TO LOCK ON TO.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: GROUND TROOPS ARE DESPERATE

TO TAKE OUT THE MORTAR SITE

BEFORE THE TALIBAN RETURNS \h\h\hFOR ANOTHER ATTACK.

IT WILL TAKE BOMBS FROM BOTH \hF-18s TO DESTROY THE SITE.

HER WINGMAN CAN DO HIS PART, BUT HANSEN IS ALL TOO AWARE

THAT SHE’S LACKING THE TOOLS TO HELP.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hHansen: THAT’S A BIG DEAL FOR ME.

PEOPLE’S LIVES ARE DEPENDING \h\h\h\hON YOU GETTING THERE

AND GETTING IT RIGHT.

♪

Narrator: 2008. AFGHANISTAN.

\hU.S. TROOPS NEED CLOSE AIR SUPPORT

TO DESTROY A TALIBAN OUTPOST.

50,000 FEET ABOVE, LIEUTENANT \h\h\hCOMMANDER KRISTEN HANSEN

DISCOVERS THAT THE TARGETING POD ON HER F-18 IS NOT WORKING.

Hansen: I DEFINITELY GET \h\hA LITTLE BIT NERVOUS

RIGHT OFF THE BAT

BECAUSE WE’RE TRYING TO GIVE \h\h\h\hTHESE GUYS A WEAPON

AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, AND NOW \hI’M NOT ABLE TO HELP OUT.

\h\h\hNarrator: THE POD CONTROLS HANSEN’S LASER-GUIDED WEAPONS--

\h\h\h\hTHE FIRST CHOICE FOR A PRECISION STRIKE.

\hHER SECONDARY WEAPON IS A GPS-GUIDED BOMB.

\h\hTO USE IT, SHE MUST RELY ON COORDINATES FROM HER WINGMAN...

AND HOPE THAT THEY’RE RIGHT.

Hansen: MY FLIGHT LEAD WAS ABLE TO GET HIS SYSTEMS ON THE TARGET

AND WAS ABLE TO I.D. \h\hTHE MORTAR SITE

THAT OUR FORWARD AIR CONTROLLER WAS TALKING ABOUT,

AND HE WAS ABLE TO RELAY \h\h\hTHOSE COORDINATES

TO ME IN MY AIRCRAFT.

Narrator: HANSEN AND HER WINGMAN

GO OVER THE COORDINATES \h\h\h\h\hONE MORE TIME.

WITHOUT THE TARGETING POD \h\h\h\h\hTO VERIFY THEM,

\h\h\h\hIT’S EVEN MORE CRUCIAL THAT THEY’RE ON THE SAME PAGE.

Hansen: ONCE WE WERE SURE \h\h\hTHAT WE WERE LOOKING

AT THE CORRECT MORTAR SITE

AND EVERYBODY THAT COULD \hPOTENTIALLY BE HARMED

\h\h\h\h\hBY THE WEAPON WAS WELL OUT OF THE WAY,

\h\h\hMY FLIGHT LEAD PASSED ON RELEASE RESPONSIBILITIES TO ME

\h\h\h\h\h\hAND ALLOWED ME TO ACTUALLY DROP THE BOMB.

♪

Narrator: 30 SECONDS LATER...

[EXPLOSION]

HANSEN’S BOMBS HIT THEIR TARGET:

NO MORE TALIBAN OUTPOST.

♪

AN HOUR LATER, HANSEN \h\hAND THE OTHER F-18

RETURN TO THE SHIP.

Hansen: I REMEMBER GOING BACK \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHAT AFTERNOON

BEING PRETTY EXCITED AS A JUNIOR OFFICER,

SAYING THIS JOB’S PRETTY COOL.

\h\h\h\hWE WERE ABLE TO HELP THE GUYS OUT ON THE GROUND,

\h\hAND THAT’S ALWAYS A WICKED GOOD FEELING.

Narrator: BUT SUCCESS \hDOESN’T STAY STATIC.

\h\hTHE AIR WING MUST EVOLVE IF IT’S TO FACE NEW THREATS.

\hIN 2013, NORTHROP GRUMMAN’S X-47B UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE

\h\h\h\hBECOMES THE NAVY’S FIRST DRONE FIGHTER JET...

MAKING 37 CARRIER LAUNCHES \h\h\h\h\h\hAND LANDINGS.

IN 2017, THE NAVY ANNOUNCES \h\h\h\hPLANS TO COMMISSION

\h\hAN UPDATED VERSION THAT DOESN’T FIGHT...

BUT MERELY REFUELS NAVY JETS.

♪

\h\hALSO ON THE HORIZON: 80 MORE SUPER HORNETS...

\h\h\hAND THE $121 MILLION STRIKE FIGHTER: THE F-35.

\hJerome Teer: THIS IS THE F-35C LIGHTNING II

MULTI-ROLE SUPERSONIC, \h\h\h\h\hSINGLE SEAT,

FIFTH GENERATION AIRCRAFT,

\h\h\h\h\h\hALSO KNOWN AS THE JOINT STRIKE FIGHTER.

\hIT WAS DESIGNED FROM THE GROUND UP

TO BE THE FIRST CARRIER \h\h\hSTEALTH AIRCRAFT.

Narrator: A SUPER SLEEK DESIGN

\h\h\h\h\h\hAND SHELL OF RADAR-ABSORBING MATERIAL

\h\h\h\hLETS THE F-35 SNEAK UP ON ENEMIES...

\h\hAND SURPRISE THEM WITH 18,000 POUNDS OF ORDNANCE.

\hTeer: THE F-35’S STEALTH CAPABILITY

ALLOW IT TO PENETRATE AREAS

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHAT OTHER FOURTH GENERATION FIGHTERS

ARE UNABLE TO PENETRATE.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: THIS FUTURISTIC BAD BOY

BOASTS NUMEROUS SUPERLATIVES, \h\h\hINCLUDING ITS PRICE TAG.

THE F-35C IS THE MOST EXPENSIVE MILITARY WEAPONS SYSTEM

IN HISTORY.

NAVY BRASS EXPECT THE F-35 WILL MAKE ITS COMBAT DEBUT IN 2019.

WHEN IT DOES, THEY HAVE NO DOUBT

IT WILL CHANGE THE GAME OF THE CARRIER AIR WING.

JUST DON’T ASK FOR SPECIFICS.

MOST DATES AND DETAILS \h\hREMAIN CLASSIFIED.

\hTeer: THE F-35 HAS UNIQUE CAPABILITIES

THAT WE LIKE TO PROTECT.

[ROARING]

Narrator: PRESENCE, INFLUENCE, \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAND OPTIONS:

\h\h\hTHE CARRIER AIR WING IS THE ULTIMATE PROJECTION

OF U.S. MILITARY MIGHT.

Fox: WHETHER YOU’RE \h\h\hIN THE RED SEA

\hOR WHETHER YOU’RE IN THE INDIAN OCEAN

OR IN THE MEDITERRANEAN,

THE AIR WING FLIES AND THRIVES.

\hTHAT’S WHAT MAKES THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER

\h\hSUCH A FLEXIBLE AND RESPONSIVE TOOL

IN THE NATION’S TOOLBOX.

\h\hNarrator: THE AIR WING AND ITS F-18 STRIKE FORCE

ARE WHAT GIVE AMERICA \h\h\h\hSTAYING POWER

IN ITS MOST CHALLENGING BATTLES.

[ROARING]

Rentfrow: THE NEED TO CONTROL \h\h\h\h\h\hTHE BATTLE SPACE,

THE AIRSPACE OVER THE OCEANS \h\hAND OVER A BODY OF WATER

IS SOMETHING THAT IS NEVER \h\h\h\hGOING TO GO AWAY.

Narrator: LETHAL AND RESPONSIVE,

\h\h\h\hTHE AIR WING CONTINUES TO EVOLVE,

\h\hREMAINING A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH...

NOW AND IN YEARS TO COME.

♪