The Last Ship - could've been worse
- Thread starter Joelist
- Start date
shavedape
Well Known GateFan
You bring up a good point. Normally I would expect a show such as this to have military advisers but you have to wonder how much consulting they did past just getting the "mechanics" of a battleship down pat.
Actually yes, they have several military advisors with an emphasis on Navy. They are filming at least part of the time on a real life operational Arleigh Burke Flight IIa DDG (USS Halsey). Active naval personnel have also participated in filming and this season the actual Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) was in an episode this season playing himself (on video).
It is covered in a couple of different "making of" articles like this one at Blackfive:
http://www.blackfive.net/main/2014/...-and-executive-producer-of-the-last-ship.html
By the way, this is not a Battleship (the Navy currently has no Battleships on active duty). The Arleigh Burke's are Guided Missile Destroyers. They are designed primarily for anti-submarine and anti-aircraft warfare.
It is covered in a couple of different "making of" articles like this one at Blackfive:
http://www.blackfive.net/main/2014/...-and-executive-producer-of-the-last-ship.html
By the way, this is not a Battleship (the Navy currently has no Battleships on active duty). The Arleigh Burke's are Guided Missile Destroyers. They are designed primarily for anti-submarine and anti-aircraft warfare.
YJ02
Well Known GateFan
bolded= oops! watch out! your opening yourself up for intense round of heat from the word police-like I did when I said what i did about the use of the word "soldier"
bolded= oops! watch out! your opening yourself up for intense round of heat from the word police-like I did when I said what i did about the use of the word "soldier"
A guided missile destroyed IS a battleship. There is no class of warship called "battleship", although typically it described primarily gunships with large caliber guns.
Maybe so 
The last time there were Battleships in the fleet was when we reactivated and refurbished the Iowa class BBs. That turned out well as in addition to the big guns (which the Marines loved in the fire support role) they had Phalanx CIWS and Tomahawk SSM launchers fitted, and as the fastest Battleships ever built (35 knots) they were well suited for duty with fast Task Forces.
The last time there were Battleships in the fleet was when we reactivated and refurbished the Iowa class BBs. That turned out well as in addition to the big guns (which the Marines loved in the fire support role) they had Phalanx CIWS and Tomahawk SSM launchers fitted, and as the fastest Battleships ever built (35 knots) they were well suited for duty with fast Task Forces.
It is a battleship if it has long range projectile weapons on it. An aircraft carrier is a battleship as is a destroyer, but not a cruiser. Sailors (enlisted and officer alike) simply refer to their assigned ships as "boats" without using the designations at all. Just the name.
One of the positive things about this show (as you pointed out) is that it has genuine Navy assistance in terms of how to portray the military and the decorum of command. The problem with that is the premise in which this show takes place. It is HIGHLY unlikely that anyone would continue to follow a chain of command which collapses and no longer represents a nation or a military command. I do not think many people would continue to obey traffic lights if there are no cars in the road except abandoned ones and the occasional survivor. So, having military guidance to portray military command structure in a world where it would be completely irrelevant makes no sense to me.
Yes there is indeed a class called "Battleship". The Naval Hull Classification "BB" is for Battleships (for example the USS Missouri has the Hull classification BB-63. The Arleigh Burke destroyers have the Hull classification DDG (for example the USS Halsey which we see in The Last Ship (as the Reuben James) is DDG-97). The DD is for Destroyer and the G is for Guided Missile.
Currently DDGs in the fleet do a lot of different missions but their real design mission is to provide Anti-Aircraft and Anti Submarine protection to Task Forces, Convoys and other such groupings of ships.
Currently DDGs in the fleet do a lot of different missions but their real design mission is to provide Anti-Aircraft and Anti Submarine protection to Task Forces, Convoys and other such groupings of ships.
Maybe so
The last time there were Battleships in the fleet was when we reactivated and refurbished the Iowa class BBs. That turned out well as in addition to the big guns (which the Marines loved in the fire support role) they had Phalanx CIWS and Tomahawk SSM launchers fitted, and as the fastest Battleships ever built (35 knots) they were well suited for duty with fast Task Forces.
Battleships are essentially gunships that carry the biggest guns in the Navy. These days, most of those have been modified to launch drones, fire cruise missiles and smart ordnance. Unguided shells are basically obsolete which explains why most of the large gunships have been decommissioned.
That came from Wikipedia. If you look at the ships which carry those hull classifications, you will find it on all manner and size of ships. The main unifying factor is the big guns. Whatever the case, this ship used in The Last Ship is considered a destroyer. A DDG guided missile destroyer. This is a small ship, smaller than many commercial fishing boats. In terms of it being any sort of flagship, it just does not make the grade at all.
Remember Joelist, I used to love this show! Something happened which made me dislike it, but you continue to like it. That's all.
I find it to be beyond my ability to suspend belief.
Doesn't come from Wikipedia. It is the actual process for ship designation.
By the way, an Arleigh Burke DDG is not that small. It's a 500 foot long ship. Destroyers have gotten progressively larger over time as the necessary loadouts for the ASW and AAW missions have changed. But they are still destroyers; in this case with Guided Missiles (DDG). As to their Flagship functions; it depends on the formation. Obviously they serve as flagships for DESRONs (Destroyer Squadrons). As a Flagship for a CBG? Unlikely - that would be the Carrier itself or alternately a CG in some situations.
As to disbelief, it was talked out already and that's cool. The discussion has actually shifted to more of a "military accuracy" and "Navy factoids" talk. and considering the issues we have had in the past with these shows portraying military and either not inviting advisors or ignoring them (NuBSG, SGU) it's nice to see one where they are not only present but listened to.
By the way, an Arleigh Burke DDG is not that small. It's a 500 foot long ship. Destroyers have gotten progressively larger over time as the necessary loadouts for the ASW and AAW missions have changed. But they are still destroyers; in this case with Guided Missiles (DDG). As to their Flagship functions; it depends on the formation. Obviously they serve as flagships for DESRONs (Destroyer Squadrons). As a Flagship for a CBG? Unlikely - that would be the Carrier itself or alternately a CG in some situations.
As to disbelief, it was talked out already and that's cool. The discussion has actually shifted to more of a "military accuracy" and "Navy factoids" talk. and considering the issues we have had in the past with these shows portraying military and either not inviting advisors or ignoring them (NuBSG, SGU) it's nice to see one where they are not only present but listened to.
Well I have nothing negative to say about how the military is portrayed in this show.
Whether or not it would apply in this scenario is just a subjective commentary from me. SG-1 showed the military guidance as well. When they no longer have it, that becomes obvious. You mentioned SGU. Compare the "military" in that to that in SG-1.
YJ02
Well Known GateFan
I think it is this way:
"Battle ship" as in a ship that is designed and prepared for battle
"Battleship" the now retired class of formerly ass kicking, big ass gun carrying ships of battle
for that matter:
"soldier" noun identifying a member of the military
"Soldier(note the capitalization)" a proper noun identifying a member of an Army
now, kiss and make up
"Battle ship" as in a ship that is designed and prepared for battle
"Battleship" the now retired class of formerly ass kicking, big ass gun carrying ships of battle
for that matter:
"soldier" noun identifying a member of the military
"Soldier(note the capitalization)" a proper noun identifying a member of an Army
now, kiss and make up
YJ02
Well Known GateFan
Yup, but Greer was a Master Sgt (E8) an NCO. Even though, given the timeline we got for his career, his time in service doesn't match up to being promoted that quickly-not to mention his disciplinary issues that would of held him back as well.
The officers? Easy-ROTC--all you need is to graduate with a 2.5 GPA and you will be commissioned (without taking any ASVAB test mind you)
Except that the StarGate program supposedly had very carefully screened personnel specifically from either the Air force or Special Forces. None of the SGU clowns would have made it through screening. In fact they wouldn't have made it past their first evaluations as officers post ROTC graduation....
Anybody else irritated by the devotion to Chandler that Slattery has?
To me, the biggest slap in the face was the personalities of the SGU "military". Greer was convincing as a soldier, but not as a Master Sergeant, Same with Scott being a lieutenant (and James). Telford was the most convincing of all. The personalities of these people would have washed them out in training. NO WAY could Greer become a Master Sergeant in that short a time. Him being in jail would have cost him most of his rank above E5. And poor TJ....she was not even believable as an ROTC trainee.