Phase Six

The USS Nathan Hale

**Phase Six** is the first episode of the TNT series *The Last Ship*.

## Summary

Two civilian virologists, Dr. Rachel Scott and Dr. Quincy Tophet, claiming to be studying birds, join Captain Tom Chandler and crew aboard the USS Nathan James on their way to the Arctic. Renegade Russian forces attack them, and Chandler learns the virologists are actually collecting samples of a deadly virus that has infected 80 percent of the human population while they have been at sea. The remaining U.S. government orders the ship home, and those aboard try desperately - many in vain - to contact their family. After a nuclear detonation, the crew boards a ship filled with dead, infected people. The safest place to develop a vaccine is on their ship in open water.

## Goofs

From the errors that have been picked up, this episode was obviously watched by a large number of people who know what they're talking about...

* The crew members contradict each other. The nuclear missile is described by one crew member as being a surface ship launched ballistic missile (none exist), high and fast, going 9,700 MPH. Yet the track shown on the ship's radar screen is that of a much slower ship-launched land attack missile. A few seconds later, another crew member exclaims the missile overshot the ship, which would not take place with a ballistic missile due to the atmospheric flight path.
* The nuclear missile detonated around 1000 (+/- 200 miles) from the ship. There would be no noticeable effect of the blast. The crew would have never known a nuke had detonated. A ship's screen showed that the ship was nearly 400 miles west of Brest, France. The nuke was tracked for three seconds and traveled about half the length of the English Channel. The missile travels about 8-10 more seconds before the nuke detonates.
* Towards the beginning when they show "Norfolk Naval-Base", there are mountains in the background. When in fact Norfolk Naval-Base is in a bay, and behind it is the Atlantic Ocean. The location used in the filming looks to actually be Naval Base San Diego.
* When the team is on the North Pole collecting samples you can see mountains. There are no mountains on the North Pole, only ice and snow.
* The OOD (Officer Of The Day) reports they only have 11% of their fuel remaining, only enough for 6 more hours even at best conservation speed. This would mean that even at best conservation speed, a full tank would only allow them to operate for 54 hours. This is utterly ridiculous. A Destroyer can go a couple of weeks at cruising speed without refueling.
* The nuclear missile as depicted would have to be going 216,000 MPH to cover the distance shown on the radar screen. Ballistic missiles do not use the flight path shown on screen, and fly at about 9,000 MPH. By the time it impacted, it would be so far away the crew would not see the flash depicted, and there would be no EMP to disable the ship.
* The destroyer could not last 4 months at sea without re-provisioning.
* Multiple scenes where Naval personnel salute while indoors and not wearing a hat. Military personnel do not salute indoors, or when not wearing a hat.
* The US Flag is seen in several shots flying from the fantail while underway. The flag is flown there only while the ship is in port. When underway, the flag is lowered from the stern and raised atop the yardarms. This is the meaning behind the command "Shift Colors" when getting underway or mooring.
* Shortly after returning from the cruise ship, we see an antenna slew in place followed by radio communications being restored. The antenna shown is part of the SPG-62 Fire Control Director for guiding the ship's anti-Air missiles into their targets, not a communications antenna.
* Often when the ship is in the water speeding, you can hear background sounds of one or two large piston engines. But this is an Arleigh Burke class destroyer that is equipped with four GE LM2500 gas turbines. These engines would make a whining sound from the turbines.
* The CGI helicopters that attack the USS Nathan James are CH-53 Super Stallions and Eurocopter A-Stars. Neither type is used by the Russian military, although the CGI models do have Russian markings. The CH-53 is a heavy transport helicopter used by the US Marines. The A-Star is operated by several smaller militaries and many civilian users. The Russians would most likely use Mi-17, Mi-26, Ka-29, or Ka-60 transports in place of the CH-53s and Mi-24, Mi-28, or Ka-52 gunships in place of the A-Star.
* EMCON A would not have prevented the ship's crew from knowing about the plague. It only prevents the ship from sending any electromagnetic signals like radar, or radio. It would not prevent the reception of satellite or radio signals as that is a passive measure, not active. The crew would have known all along about the plague from satellite news broadcasts.

## Deaths

* 80% of the population of the world die or are dying from the effects of the virus.