JAG s06e15 Episode Script

We have to wait.
Lieutenant, give me three more turns on the screw.
Aye, skipper.
Two eight turns.
- Two more, lieutenant.
- Aye, sir.
Give me three zero turns.
Skipper.
I hear it, chief.
- Helm, all back full.
- All back full, aye.
- Helm, right hard rudder.
- Right hard rudder, aye.
Ensign Terry Childers was turned down for the Submarine Service.
- It's very competitive, isn't it, sir? - Yes, it is.
But Ensign Childers was the regimental commander of Navy ROTC at Purdue, finished number two in last years' class at Nuclear Power School.
So, what's wrong with him, sir? He's a she.
Congresswoman Latham got wind of this alleged violation of Ensign Childer's rights and subpoenaed her to testify before a congressional committee.
The Civil Rights Act doesn't apply to the military, sir.
The Constitution does.
There's no equal protection violation where there are good reasons - to treat the sexes differently.
- What reasons, lieutenant? Whatever the Navy says they are.
Ensign Childers wants to be a submariner, but it wasn't her idea to appear before a congressional committee.
She asked for our counsel.
You two will represent her and any other Naval personnel.
- Aye, aye, sir.
- Aye, aye.
You know, I have never understood why anyone would wanna be trapped like some damn sardine in a can for months on end.
It's the last frontier, sir.
There are female aviators, ship captains, astronauts, but no woman has ever served in even the lowest position on a submarine.
But isn't it a more practical matter, ma'am? There's no space for separate heads and berthing compartments.
England, Canada and Australia have room for woman on their submarines.
Norway even has a female skipper.
And in the Netherlands, male sailors have shoulder-length hair and belong to a union.
So you don't think women belong on submarines, sir? What I think doesn't matter, lieutenant.
Haven't I made that clear? That'll be all.
- Yes, sir.
- Yes, sir.
I guess I'm just old-fashioned, ma'am.
I respect Navy traditions.
- Which ones? Flogging? - What about keelhauling, ma'am? Harriet, the United States Navy has never keelhauled anybody.
It's a pity.
I can think of a few people who could use it.
Gunny, what do you think about coed submarine service? I believe women have a very important role to play in the armed forces, sir.
Speak freely, Gunny.
Submarines are very tight quarters, ma'am.
It would be distracting.
- For whom? - For everybody, including the women.
They'd be swooning over some handsome sonar operator? After three months deployed, ma'am, over the ugly ones.
Sir, how much do you think it would cost to retrofit all the submarines with heads for women and berthing compartments? Too much.
I think they should have all female crews on submarines.
- Sir? - It would be a heck of a lot cheaper and they'd smell a whole lot nicer.
What a country, America? Your Navy must be the strongest in the world and smell good too.
Alex, what are you doing here? Beautiful office.
Beautiful colonel.
I'm defecting, of course.
Alex, what a nice surprise.
This doesn't have anything to do with my brother? Sergei's fine.
But the Chechens won't trade him yet.
It's good to see you.
I really appreciate everything you're doing.
Good.
Because now I need your help.
Our hearts go out to the crew of the Vladivostok.
Despite our different uniforms, all submariners are brothers.
Thank you, captain.
Were any of the submarines under your command within sonar range of the Vladivostok when it went down? I'm sure you realise that would be classified information.
Captain, perhaps there's some limited disclosure you can make that would not compromise security, sir.
There is not.
I'm sorry.
And your submarines shadow our submarines in the Barents Sea everywhere.
It's no secret.
I wish I could help you.
The Cold War is over, sir.
And why do you think the Soviet Union threw in the towel, commander? Because our lawyers were smarter than theirs? Or because our weapons, including our submarines, have capabilities that keep the other side guessing? Captain Volkonov is only trying to discover some truth - about a terrible accident, captain.
- You're a good attorney, commander.
But who is your client here? Captain, I'm sorry we took your time.
Captain Baxter.
Good afternoon, sir.
Your yeoman said you'd be out here.
I'm Colonel MacKenzie.
We spoke about the congressional hearings.
My lucky day.
Another lawyer.
You know the Submarine Service, they run silent on dry land too.
Admiral, I wondered if you might put in a word for me, sir.
Well, everything's on a need to know.
Operating depths, speed of their boats, how much applesauce they store in their galleys.
Sir, 110 lives were lost.
And the sinking of this ship is a mystery.
The families need to know, sir.
Well, I know Admiral Crawford over at SUBLANT.
Maybe he can get them to loosen their collars a notch.
Thank you, sir.
Alex Volkonov risked his career to help my brother.
L I'm in his debt.
Be careful how you repay a debt, commander.
Women have served on Navy support ships for 23 years and on combatants for seven.
This committee will examine the Navy's glass ceiling or steel hatch where Submarine Service is concerned.
Ensign Childers, we thank you for coming today, - we look forward to your testimony.
- Thank you, ma'am.
I know that you're flanked by two Navy attorneys.
I hope they don't intend to gag and shackle you.
Congresswoman Latham, we're here to represent Ensign Childers and any other Naval witnesses.
Not to make sure that they toe the official Navy line? Ensign Childers and every other service member is free to express his or her personal opinion.
Including yourself, colonel? I'm a lawyer, congresswoman.
I don't have personal opinions.
Ensign Childers, you graduated with honours in nuclear engineering from Purdue.
Is that correct? - Yes.
- You were near the top of your class - in the Navy Nuclear Power School? - Yes, ma'am.
What did they tell you when you asked for an assignment to submarine school? They told me that women were not eligible.
Weren't you offered an assignment in nuclear operations on an aircraft carrier? - What's wrong with that? - Nothing.
Except I've always dreamed of serving on a submarine, ma'am.
My father served in the Submarine Service.
My grandfather died aboard the Wahoo in World War II, after it sank 20 Japanese ships.
The Navy has never said it intends to put women on submarines, has it? No, it has not, sir.
Lieutenant, I believe the question was for the witness.
Sorry, ma'am.
I don't believe so, sir.
When you joined the Navy, you knew there were no women - in the Submarine Service? - Yes, sir.
But you chose a career in the Navy anyway? I was hoping the Navy would change its policy.
You want to be the first woman on a submarine? You want to make history? I just wanna serve.
But not where the Navy chooses to assign you.
Sir, when I was commissioned, I took the same oath the men did.
I swore to defend the same Constitution and the same country.
All I want is the same opportunity.
Admiral Crawford asked us to cooperate as far as we can.
We appreciate that, commander.
I assume since you are doing the talking, that it was your submarine following the Vladivostok.
We do on occasion follow Russian submarines.
Well, we'll take that as a yes.
I assume you were monitoring screw noise from the Vladivostok.
If we were there, we could have done that.
Please, what did you hear? There was an explosion aboard the Vladivostok and it sank.
What caused the explosion? You know what happened, don't you? Don't answer that question, John.
And we'll take that as a yes too.
Could one of our experts listen to your sonar tapes? No.
And you can take that as a no.
Commander Flagler, exactly how close was your boat to the Vladivostok? I can't answer that.
Maybe we know that.
Four days after the Vladivostok sank, your boat put in for repairs at Bergen, Norway.
- Did it? - It was visible from the town.
Do you deny it? If we put in to any port, it was for routine maintenance.
Not emergency repairs? Commander, I think we're done here.
- What are you hiding here? - Captain Volkonov.
If this is some attempt to shift blame Blame may not need to be shifted.
- Alex.
- Eight years ago, the American submarine, Baton Rouge, collided with a Russian tour in the Barents Sea.
One year later, your Grayling struck one of our Oscar Ils.
And two weeks ago, your Greeneville sank a Japanese fishing boat.
Did your submarine collide with the Vladivostok? No, it did not.
Did you kill 110 Russian sailors and then run away? You son of a Thank you for bringing Captain Volkonov to see us, commander.
If you ever decide to rejoin the United States Navy, give us a call.
You didn't come here to investigate.
You came to accuse the United States Navy.
You heard them.
They evaded.
They covered up.
You used me to get to them.
You used our friendship.
I am your friend.
But I am also a Russian soldier.
I had no choice.
You were following orders? I didn't have to be ordered to find out why 110 of my fellow Russians died.
You volunteered to come here? You volunteered to use my friendship? No.
My superiors are aware of my relationship with you.
They are also aware that we're making efforts on behalf of your brother.
I didn't realise that help came with a price tag.
My superiors thought you would be happy to assist.
What did you think? I thought of the dead men on the Vladivostok.
I owe it to them to do whatever is needed to find the truth.
As you would do if the situation was reversed.
Russian protesters took to the streets today, amid claims that an American submarine may have rammed the Vladivostok causing its sinking and the deaths of all aboard.
A Russian Naval spokesman criticised the United States Navy for refusing to cooperate with its investigation.
Well, you let the fox into the henhouse on this one and with my assistance.
I apologise, sir.
I was unaware of Captain Volkonov's agenda.
The Submarine Service is on a rampage.
SECNAV wants an explanation.
Any suggestions? Sir, if we don't wanna be unfairly blamed for something we didn't do, then let's prove it.
The Submarine Service knows what happened to the Vladivostok.
There must be a way to tell without revealing our secrets.
I would have thought you'd have noticed that they are just a little bit closemouthed over there.
They don't need to be, sir, if they had nothing to do with it.
And if they did have something to do with it? Well, in any case, they're not too eager to talk to you anyway.
Did you give satellite photos of Chechnya to Captain Volkonov? Unclassified photos.
I mean, the kind of photos you could pull out of a world atlas in any bookstore.
Captain Volkonov didn't go to some damn bookstore to get them now, did he? There is an appearance, that's being cited by our submariner friends, that you are trading favours with a Russian officer whose mission is against the interest of the United States government.
Harm, I heard about what Alex did.
His duty.
I forgot mine.
Well, you didn't do anything wrong.
I didn't stop to think what I was doing because of Sergei.
A brother is a Russian sergeant, a friend is a Russian captain.
No wonder Captain Baxter thought you were holding a Russian passport.
Yeah.
Well, so much for any hopes I had of joining the Submarine Service.
Oh, no, you can still join.
You're a man.
Women do not belong on submarines.
It's disruptive.
It's unnecessary.
And it would lead to a dangerous destruction of morale.
Please explain, Mrs.
Cochran.
We're convinced that putting women with men on submarines will inevitably upset the stable family lives our submariners need.
The "we" you refer to, Mrs.
Cochran, is the Submarine's Wives' Society, - in which you're the president? - That's correct.
And exactly why is the Navy providing counsel for an organisation comprised of civilians? Mrs.
Cochran's organisation is highly regarded by the Navy for its pro-family activities.
Thank you for the testimonial, lieutenant.
Mrs.
Cochran, do you think a group like yours could be objective on this issue? On this issue, our families' interest and our country's are the same.
But it seems that you assume that husbands may break Navy regulations as well as their marriage vows.
Do you know how little privacy there is on a submarine, congresswoman? Certainly no less than on a space shuttle.
I'll worry about that when my husband becomes an astronaut.
The record should reflect that the Navy has rules against improper behaviour and that most Naval personnel follow those rules.
Rules are fine, but when I visited the USS Miami on family day, I couldn't pass by sailors without turning sideways and rubbing against them.
Our husbands are gone from home for months at a time.
They're vigorous virile men Who can't control themselves? Mrs.
Cochran, do you know what they call the USS Patrick Henry? Yes, sir, the Love Boat.
I understand that on one cruise, or couldn't complete the cruise because they were pregnant.
Counsel, is the Patrick Henry a submarine? No, ma'am.
An aircraft carrier.
So close quarters had very little to do with it.
Apparently not.
Many of the women became pregnant by their husbands - on dry land.
- Is Colonel MacKenzie a witness? She's just providing military background information.
Mrs.
Cochran, it seems that maybe the submariners' wives should simply have a little more faith in their husbands.
Have you ever been married, congresswoman? Captain, Commander Rabb suggested that we rebut the Russian charge with the truth about what happened.
Just like that? That is if it's favourable.
Our submarine did not ram the Vladivostok.
See for yourself.
- Sir? - Here's the Watertown.
Do you see any dents? Well, what about Captain Volkonov's charge, sir, that you put in for repairs in Norway? Not for bodywork.
Well, then why not hold a press conference and tell the world? Because as I believe I mentioned before, there are issues here of national security.
We're both cleared for Sensitive Compartmented Information.
The Watertown was following the Vladivostok, sir.
Close.
But not that close.
It observed the Russian submarine test fire a torpedo, a Type 65.
No problem.
It then fired a new experimental Shkval 2, which turned 180 degrees, came back and destroyed the Vladivostok.
Sir, it's my understanding that all torpedoes have a fail-safe mechanism to prevent that from happening.
Not everything manufactured in Severodvinsk works the way it's supposed to, commander.
Are the Russians not aware of the problem with the Shkval 2, sir? They sure as hell are now.
Unimpeachable intelligence reports confirm they are aware.
So the Russians know we didn't ram them.
They're playing a game.
And it's working.
Isn't it, sir? Russian brass would rather blame the Americans than themselves.
Admiral, I know Captain Volkonov, sir.
I cannot believe that he's a part of this.
He probably isn't.
He plays the role of accuser much better if he doesn't know it's a lie.
Even if the Russians don't need to be told, why not put it out there anyway so the rest of the world knows that we don't go around ramming foreign ships and running away? Because how we know what we know gets into a highly classified capability, admiral.
How do women do on the tests the Navy uses - to predict success in the military? - They score higher than men.
- And women's re-enlistment rates? - Also higher.
So, captain, your only objection to not allowing women to serve on submarines is a matter of convenience? Only if you consider the $5 million it costs to retrofit a single Los Angeles-class submarine for mixed-gender crews to be a matter of convenience.
Not to mention the weapons systems to remove from the boat to accommodate the women's facilities.
That's correct.
Every cubic inch aboard a submarine is already accounted for.
Wasn't that also true of surface ships, where the Navy has managed to find room for women? Submarines are different, ma'am.
Evacuating sick or injured submariners is hazardous and if you are under the polar ice cap, it's pretty damn near impossible.
Surfacing also gives away a submarine's position and thus its protection.
Let the record reflect that this applies to the evacuation of men and women.
True.
The last time I looked, men couldn't get pregnant.
Thank you, captain.
We'll take legislative notice of that.
Naval regulations require sending pregnant women ashore, ma'am.
So, captain, your objections to putting women on submarines - are merely practical? - Correct.
And I believe any fair-minded woman who actually cruised aboard a submarine would understand the reasons for that.
- We accept.
- Ma'am? You'd consider Colonel MacKenzie fair-minded, wouldn't you? Just tell her when and where to deploy.
The committee will look forward to her report.
Well, I don't blame those submariners' wives.
If we were married, I wouldn't want you locked in some floating fraternity house that just went coed.
Renee, it's a question of trust, I think.
It's a question of propinquity.
- Propinquity? - Yes.
What is propinquity? People in close quarters tend to become close.
Do you want to get that? Yes, I'll get it.
You must be Renee.
Captain Volkonov.
And I thought you and Harm only talked about submarines.
Oh, when we were lost in the Chechen mountains facing sudden death, he spoke only of you.
Your friend is a terrible liar.
It's true.
But very romantic.
- You want a beer? - Yeah, sure.
Get me drunk and I'll tell you all our secrets.
Maybe even teach you the sabre dance.
Well, I will leave you two to save the world.
- Bye.
- Bye.
It was wonderful meeting you.
I was surprised to hear from you.
Alex, the Vladivostok was not rammed by an American submarine.
Harm, our governments can fight it out now.
Your government lied to you.
It knows the truth.
It knows the truth? You know the truth? Everybody knows the truth but me? Actually, yeah.
How do you know there was no ramming? I can't say.
You mean you won't? I can't.
I don't have all the details.
So you're taking somebody's word for it? And I'm to take yours? Alex, I trust this information.
Your superiors would not lie, but mine would? I need you to trust me on this.
I do.
I do trust you.
How would you like to see it for yourself? See what? That Russian submarines don't sink if they are not rammed by foreign boats.
Our Navy is taking some journalists on a cruise, on another Oscar II submarine.
What, is this a propaganda stunt? Please.
Public relation.
And you're inviting me to go along? This Captain Baxter thinks you are a Russian spy.
So the least I can do for you is to let you spy on us.
- Morning, colonel.
- Morning.
You're here early.
Admiral wanted to see me at 0700.
Me too.
Are you involved in the submarine trip? Yeah.
- Why? - Because I'm a woman.
- Would you take care of this for me? - Sure, sir.
What, did Alex invite you? No.
Bobbi Latham shanghaied me.
Onto a Russian sub? - What the hell are you talking about? - What are you talking about? Enter.
Have you two figured this thing out yet? Not quite, sir.
You are going on a Russian sub.
You are going on an American one.
Admiral, I have already been accused of disloyalty, sir.
I'm not sure a joyride on a Russian sub is gonna help matters any.
I can see your point.
Colonel? I don't wanna go either, sir.
Oh, you don't wanna go to the last frontier where no woman has ever served even as the lowliest seaman? I was speaking generally, sir.
This woman really doesn't like submarines.
- Enter.
- Captain Baxter is here, sir.
Send him in.
I believe you all know each other.
- Captain.
- Sir.
I would like you to know, sir, that this was not my doing.
Despite your closeness with Captain Volkonov? I had no idea that Latham was gonna use me this way.
Despite your advocacy in front of her committee? - I never intended - This in no way - All right.
- Thank you, admiral.
Commander, I'm going to expect a full report on that Russian submarine.
Weapon systems, morale, - combat readiness.
- Yes, sir.
And, colonel Sir, Congresswoman Latham can't order me No.
But she can tie our next appropriations request up in knots.
Don't forget to send me a copy of your report.
I'm sure it'll make for scintillating reading.
Bon voyage.
- Yes, sir.
- Yes, sir.
Captain.
Radar contact, surface craft, designate Romeo 3.
Locking on Sierra 2.
Fire Torpedo 1.
- Direct hit.
- Damn your torpedoes.
Attention on deck.
At ease, gentlemen.
Bradley, Sandusky, Colonel MacKenzie wanted to meet some enlisted men.
I thought it wasn't customary to snap to attention on a submarine.
- It's not, ma'am.
- You see, colonel? You've already disrupted our discipline and good order.
Occupational hazard, commander.
You'd really wanna be a bubblehead, ma'am? Tell me why I wouldn't, petty officer? Our watches are six hours on, six off, seven days a week, ma'am.
We never know whether it's morning or night.
We're completely isolated from home.
Right now, we're close enough to a Russian sub to hit it with a six iron and half the Russian fleet is over our heads looking for us, ma'am.
And you love it? Well, we're family, ma'am.
I've got 120 brothers here.
Well, maybe it's time for a sister.
- I have respect for you as a lawyer.
- Thank you, commander.
Last time you were here, we thought we had a health problem.
- You proved we had a murderer.
- We figured that out with your help.
But usually, we don't need a lawyer on a submarine.
Or a woman? Where is the submarine, Gunny? It's in the Barents Sea, ma'am.
And you haven't heard from it? It's a Russian submarine, ma'am.
This is the American Navy.
Well, don't they have a radio or something, don't we? Submarines run silent, ma'am.
Even when there are women on them? - Hey.
- Hey, Mic.
- Hi, guys.
- I've got those tickets the colonel left for you.
Washington Philharmonic.
Oh, beauty.
Shame she's gonna miss it.
Mac's out of town too? Yeah, on a submarine in the Barents Sea.
Harm's on a submarine in the Barents Sea.
Colonel MacKenzie is on the Watertown.
Commander Rabb's on the Minsk.
In the same sea? Separated by steel bulkheads and several million tons of icy water.
Did you know about this? I'm only the fiancé.
You like Tchaikovsky? What do we have, chief? Two Russian frigates, skipper.
Three and six miles away.
The nearer one's missing a stroke on its number three cylinder, port side.
- You can hear that? - We hear a great deal, colonel.
Petty Officer Grier is listening to the spherical sonar array in our bow.
Robinson's got the towed array, a string of hydrophones on a cable trailing from our stern.
And what about that petty officer? Trestman's our opera fan.
He's listening to Pavarotti.
Right now, we're concentrating on the Russian sub.
Con's keeping us in her baffles.
- Is that the Minsk? - That's what you're listening to.
Seven bladed screw.
Pretty distinctive sound.
I gather it's because Commander Rabb is aboard the Minsk that you requested my boat for your field trip.
Did you think we have another psychopath onboard? All else being equal, commander, I thought I might as well keep an eye on him.
Well, unless you're telepathic, colonel, he's not even going to know you're here.
Regulations call for daily allotment of 2,400 calories per crew member.
But we found a way to deliver 2,600 without increasing galley storage space by devising denser foodstuffs.
- Sit down, gentlemen.
- This is public relations? Russian public relation.
This cheese is from goats.
Captain, we were led to expect we'd be seeing more of the boat than the galley and the mess.
You will.
Next, we go to the berthing compartments, which have been reconfigured for practical hobbies, for morale and recreation.
Eighteen cubic metres are allotted for tai chi and other physical regimens.
My editors were promised I would see the torpedo room.
Perhaps later.
- And the reactor.
- Off limits.
But you will all have your photographs taken in helmsman's chair.
Commander Rabb, what's an American Naval officer's reaction to what you've seen so far? The cheese looks good.
Isn't it odd being here, when the United States is paying Russia - to dismantle its submarine fleet? - Gentlemen, this is not my tour.
Only obsolete submarines are being dismantled.
Our Akula and Oscar Ils are at full capability.
Except for those stuck in the ice at Murmansk? Not true.
- Captain Volkonov? - Don't ask me.
I'm in the army.
Lunch? One of our specialties, perechnaya, liver sausage baked in a sheep's stomach and kefir, fermented buttermilk and yogurt.
I hope you're hungry, gentlemen.
That was fun.
- You liked it? - Yes.
You ought to take Harm.
- Why? - To catch the parts you slept through.
Oh, Mic, thank you for saving me from another night in solitary.
No worries.
You know, Harm's a very lucky bloke.
Mac too.
Hey, Mic, in all the time that Harm and Mac spent together I mean, before they knew us, did they ever? I mean, do you know? Navy policy, Renee.
Don't ask, don't tell.
Yeah, well, I wish I could add, "And don't think about it.
" - Harm's never - Oh, no, no.
That would be on a need-to-know basis.
- I don't have clearance.
- And you're afraid to ask.
Yep.
Me too.
Sausage and buttermilk.
- Ice cream for desert.
- Again? - I'm sorry, ma'am.
- I'm sorry.
Ma'am, I just wanted you to know that I think having women onboard would be positive.
- It wouldn't bother me at all.
- Thank you.
Sorry, ma'am.
- That's okay.
- Just had lunch.
I guess I gotta cut back on the seconds.
Sausage and buttermilk will do that to you.
Ma'am, we had spaghetti and bug juice.
So, what's next? Souvenir T-shirts and pictures with the helmsman? He was ordered to bring the press aboard.
He is as trained in secrecy as your submariners.
He's really not wild about having me around either, is he? Again, like your submariners.
Gentlemen, you wanted to see more? You are about to see something very exciting.
All right.
I'm back.
Who's making noise? A whale's farting, a trawler's trawling, and the Russians are doing their laundry, sir.
Chief.
When we finish with the Minsk, we'll do some angles and dangles for you.
Maybe an emergency blow, lift us out of the water like Moby Dick.
- No need to entertain me.
- Hell, it entertains me.
Skipper, we've got some activity aboard the Minsk.
What kind of activity, ears? - They're about to launch a torpedo.
- How far along are they? Well, the torpedo is off the rack and it's onto the tray.
- You can hear that on sonar? - We're pretty advanced, colonel.
They've got a delay with the loading ramp, sir.
Somebody dislocated their shoulder.
You can't hear that on sonar.
You had a Russian-speaking petty officer listening to Pavarotti.
He knows what the Russians are having for lunch.
You know what they're saying.
You can hear them speak.
I can neither confirm nor deny that, colonel.
But will you please keep it to yourself? Torpedo.
Now you're talking.
Can I get down to the torpedo room, captain? Get some pictures? Captain, I assume you'll be firing a Type 65.
I see our American friend is familiar with our armaments.
- A little bit.
- Then prepare to learn a little more.
We're not firing a Type 65, but a newer torpedo, rocket propelled, twice as fast as anything the American's have.
We call it the Shkval 2.
- You're sure that's what he said? - Yes, Sir.
- Shkval 2.
- What's wrong with the Shkval 2? Last time they test fired one it did a 180, sent the Vladivostok to the bottom.
- How do you know? - We were there.
- Listening.
- Every word.
Right down to the skipper's last curse.
Commander, I assure you the Shkval 2 is fully operational and safe.
You're saying the Shkval 2 blew up the Vladivostok? There were reports that they pulled the Shkval 2 from testing after the Vladivostok sank.
That's what you couldn't tell me? Now, we can have a panel discussion at some later date.
Right now, we're going to demonstrate an advanced Russian weapon that is going to make a revolution in undersea warfare.
Was there a problem with the torpedo, captain? There was some concern about the guidance computer on the Shkval.
- The problem has been addressed.
- You're sure about that, captain? Our scientists may not be the highest paid in the world, but they're still the best.
That's commence firing sequence.
The problem wasn't the guidance computer.
They're opening the torpedo door.
We gotta stop them from firing.
How do you suggest I do that? Tell them what you know.
And violate my orders to run silent? And give away the secret of our voice recovery technology? Under NAVREGS, Article 0925, you have an obligation to aid vessels in distress.
Thanks for the legal advice, colonel.
But I am also obligated to avoid putting my vessel into distress.
We're in a Russian OP area with half their fleet above us.
Commander, we're the only chance they have.
The Shkval is far superior to the American Mark 48.
More accurate.
More deadly.
True remote retargeting without the need of a connecting wire.
And fast, 200 knots.
Two hundred knots? American torpedoes can't match that, can they, commander? Sure they can't.
But they don't hit the submarines that launched them.
Russian Submarine Minsk.
This is the USS Watertown.
Underwater telephone? It works at short range.
This is Commander John Flagler of the USS Watertown.
You must not fire your Shkval torpedoes.
Captain Leopold Karnik, are you there? He knows your name? You are in our waters, commander.
Yes, captain.
I am.
And I am breaking silence to tell you that the Shkval remote retargeting system is flawed.
- What kind of trick is this? - No trick.
If you fire the Shkval and retarget it, it will hone in on your signal and destroy you.
It's what happened to the Vladivostok.
How would you know? Because we were in its baffles when it fired the torpedo.
You are lying.
Why would he lie, captain? He admits he was next to the Vladivostok.
Maybe what he heard was the sound of his own bow ramming it.
- Captain Karnik, trust me.
- Trust you? For 50 years, you track our submarines, invade our waters, threaten us.
Captain Karnik, this is Lieutenant Colonel Sarah MacKenzie.
Mac? Does she follow you everywhere? Commander Flagler, you have women on your submarines? You're having a party? We're telling the truth, captain.
The torpedo will kill you.
Now I am to believe you? We know what happens inside your submarines.
Well, if you did, you'd know that we are determined to complete our demonstration.
Tell me what they've been saying.
Anything.
You can't tell them that we can hear them.
Captain, listen to them.
I don't take orders from Americans.
Captain, it won't look good if you lose another submarine.
Captain, how was the liver sausage at lunch? And why did you cancel yesterday's fire drill? When you told the chief of the boat to bring vodka for your guests, why did you insist on the cheap one? - Who told you these things? - We have agents in Severodvinsk.
They've planted listening devices on every submarine built there since 1986.
We heard what happened to the Vladivostok - while it was happening.
- This is nonsense.
How does she know what's been happening on this boat? You.
You are CIA.
- Captain, he's American legal officer.
- Transmitting messages.
- I don't know how.
- Why? To keep us from showing the world our advances.
To keep us under your thumb.
Captain, I can vouch for Commander Rabb.
What did they do to you in the United States? Take you to Disney World with Elian Gonzalez? - Sir.
- You will answer for your conduct when we return to Petropavlovsk.
They've begun the countdown sequence.
Captain, it won't hurt you to wait.
You're endangering your ship.
The world is watching us now, commander.
I will show you the strength of the Russian Navy.
Captain, we'd be happy to report on its strength tomorrow.
Torpedo away, sir.
Helm, get us out of here.
Right full rudder, all ahead full.
Right full rudder, all ahead full, aye.
- Gotta be a way to destroy it.
- Hit a torpedo with a torpedo? Our fish can't even catch that thing.
If the Shkval circles back, you won't have to outrun it.
- A decoy would be the only way.
- Well, then that's what you have to do.
Our decoy is a Mark 2 torpedo.
Look at our position.
To intercept the Shkval, we'd have to fire toward the Minsk.
How do you think Captain Karnik would react to that? One hundred ninety knots.
Two hundred knots.
It would seem the launch is a success, commander.
Let it run, captain.
Don't retarget it.
And miss the drone? They are retargeting.
Your submarine has fired a torpedo.
At us.
Commander, your people want a war? Captain Karnik, this is the USS Watertown.
Do not be alarmed.
We have fired a torpedo in your direction.
I will sink him.
He attacked me.
You're all witnesses.
This doesn't make sense.
If he wanted to attack you, he'd have done it before.
He had opportunity, you didn't know he was here.
Why would he announce himself? Why would he risk his boat? Their counter measures aren't working.
Impact in 15 seconds.
It hasn't acquired our decoy, sir.
Five second.
The Shkval is turning away.
Attababy.
- It's turning towards us.
- Helm, turn starboard, heading 105.
Turning right, heading 105, aye.
- No.
It's acquired the decoy.
- Helm, delay my last.
Aye, sir.
Captain maybe you could bring out that vodka again.
Yeah, this time let's have the good stuff, huh, captain? Nice shooting, commander.
Nice talking.
You'll have the Russians tearing up every submarine in their fleet looking for bugs.
So the presence of a woman on the Watertown hasn't caused you any problems? Not yet.
Harriet, maybe we should have had a welcome home party.
Oh, I don't know, Renee.
They're not the pomp and circumstance type.
- But - They're not? You know what I mean.
Colonel and the commander - have been through so much.
- Together.
Well, he's with you now and the colonel is engaged.
- Harriet, is she back yet? - Any second, Mic.
I feel like one of those women in an old war movie, waiting for her husband to get off the ship.
Yeah, me too.
Commander, colonel, welcome home.
- Thank you, sir.
- Oh, Captain Baxter called and was curious what your report was gonna say.
Well, that anyone who's crazy enough to want to be in submarines should be welcome to them.
Oh, and he sends his thanks to you for showing the world that Russian submarines are perfectly capable of blowing themselves up.
The hard way, as usual.
You knew I was there before we called you? Come on, I always know where you are.
Oh, kind of like my sense of timing.
Oh, I think we both have an incredible sense of timing.
- Mic.
- Hey.
Welcome home, sailor.
- Hi.
- Good hug, Marine.