WARSHIP

President Theodore Roosevelt described his foreign policy as: ‚go carefully and carry a big stick’. This is the modern day ‚big stick’ – as it is affectionately known to Americans – the United States aircraft carrier named after the ex-President.

More than sixty jets are launched from the Roosevelt’s four runways every day. Thirty technicians are on hand to make sure the take-off goes without a hitch. The jets are hydraulically catapulted into the skies, going from nought to two hundred and sixty kilometers per hour in two seconds.

Around 5500 people are needed to keep the giant floating airport working. The length of the deck is almost 350 meters long,

and the ship is 75 meters high – almost 24 stories.

One of the floors under the deck is the hangar. Down here, 30 fighter jets at a time can be serviced. After every flight the jets are sent here to be readied for the next attack. Small faults are mended within an hour, and inside fifteen hours even big problems are sorted, and the plane is ready to go again.

There’s no rest for the wicked – planes take off and land round the clock. If needed, even at night the ship can accommodate two take offs and a landing at the same time.

On their return, the pilots tell us that the Taliban are continuing to resist.

OT Mark Hunter, Pilot

There’s been some resistance. You neveer know when to expect it. SO I tell my pilots „just because you didn’t get shot at yesterday, doesn’t mean you won’t today“ So you’ve always gotta be prepared. But not as much resistance as I remember seeing in Desert Storm’

OT: Scott IND, Pilot

The way our tactics work, we’re pretty much too high – above any threat to us at all. So our tactics mean it is not a danger for our airplanes

Exact military locations are a closely guarded secret, but it is apparent that the Americans are finding it increasingly difficult to find targets. More and more pilots are returning still fully laden with bombs

And under their breath, the pilots complain about the complex chain of command. They are restricted from bombing any targets they may see, but are made to get permission before every ‚shot’

Radar crews confirm the targets identified by the pilots. By the time the go-ahead has been given, as much as two days may have passed. The Commander-in-Chief of the USS Roosevelt explains the reasons:

 

OT Admiral Mark Fitzgerald; USS Roosevelt-Group

Our main concern here is collateral damage. We don’t want to go killing any innocent people, or people who have already come over to our side. So its better not to drop on an area where you’re not sure.

OT Mark Hunter, Pilot

The situation out there right now is literally trying to figure out where the good guys are, and where the enemy is. When we find them we clear a strike, if we don’t we bring the ordinance back to the ship, and save them for another day.

While the bombs are being loaded, practising Muslims pray for peace and a quick return home. 15 Muslims serve on the carrier, among them 21 year old ship electrician, Michael Davids.

OT Michael Davids, Schiffselektriker

Anybody with any faith should have mixed emeotions about it. Innocent people dying. Period. That’s how I was about it. It’s never a good thing have happen.

The lack of space in the ship weighs on the mind. The crew are looking forward to getting home; life aboard the ship is hard. They work shifts around the clock – few even get to see daylight. There is no such thing as a day off, just a few well earned hours. After six weeks (combat duty), most are exhausted.

OT Matrose 1:

I work 12, maybe more sometimes – 14 hours sometimes. I’m very tired sometimes but there’s nothing you can do.

OT Matrosin:

Yeah, its kinda hard because we don’t hit any ports or anything, so its boring.

And as for leisure activities: as much sleep as possible. The permanent drone of the ships engines just doesn’t affect the weary sailors any more.

OT Matrose 2 (DIALOG)
‚Sleeping... as much as I can!’

I/V: Is it possible with all the noise? I couldn’t sleep!

‘You get used to It after a while, I can always sleep’

The sleeping berths of the marines are anything but comfortable. Between 30 – 50 people are crammed into a single cabin. There’s no room for tension – any aggression has to be bottled up.

Aggression is reserved for America’s Public enemy no 1 – Usama bin Laden. Any frustration manifests itself in scrawled dedications on bombs.

And every morning the crew climb on deck to jet off and deliver their messages.

WARSHIP

President Theodore Roosevelt described his foreign policy as: ‚go carefully and carry a big stick’. This is the modern day ‚big stick’ – as it is affectionately known to Americans – the United States aircraft carrier named after the ex-President.

More than sixty jets are launched from the Roosevelt’s four runways every day. Thirty technicians are on hand to make sure the take-off goes without a hitch. The jets are hydraulically catapulted into the skies, going from nought to two hundred and sixty kilometers per hour in two seconds.

Around 5500 people are needed to keep the giant floating airport working. The length of the deck is almost 350 meters long,

and the ship is 75 meters high – almost 24 stories.

One of the floors under the deck is the hangar. Down here, 30 fighter jets at a time can be serviced. After every flight the jets are sent here to be readied for the next attack. Small faults are mended within an hour, and inside fifteen hours even big problems are sorted, and the plane is ready to go again.

There’s no rest for the wicked – planes take off and land round the clock. If needed, even at night the ship can accommodate two take offs and a landing at the same time.

On their return, the pilots tell us that the Taliban are continuing to resist.

OT Mark Hunter, Pilot

There’s been some resistance. You neveer know when to expect it. SO I tell my pilots „just because you didn’t get shot at yesterday, doesn’t mean you won’t today“ So you’ve always gotta be prepared. But not as much resistance as I remember seeing in Desert Storm’

OT: Scott IND, Pilot

The way our tactics work, we’re pretty much too high – above any threat to us at all. So our tactics mean it is not a danger for our airplanes

Exact military locations are a closely guarded secret, but it is apparent that the Americans are finding it increasingly difficult to find targets. More and more pilots are returning still fully laden with bombs

And under their breath, the pilots complain about the complex chain of command. They are restricted from bombing any targets they may see, but are made to get permission before every ‚shot’

Radar crews confirm the targets identified by the pilots. By the time the go-ahead has been given, as much as two days may have passed. The Commander-in-Chief of the USS Roosevelt explains the reasons:

 

OT Admiral Mark Fitzgerald; USS Roosevelt-Group

Our main concern here is collateral damage. We don’t want to go killing any innocent people, or people who have already come over to our side. So its better not to drop on an area where you’re not sure.

OT Mark Hunter, Pilot

The situation out there right now is literally trying to figure out where the good guys are, and where the enemy is. When we find them we clear a strike, if we don’t we bring the ordinance back to the ship, and save them for another day.

While the bombs are being loaded, practising Muslims pray for peace and a quick return home. 15 Muslims serve on the carrier, among them 21 year old ship electrician, Michael Davids.

OT Michael Davids, Schiffselektriker

Anybody with any faith should have mixed emeotions about it. Innocent people dying. Period. That’s how I was about it. It’s never a good thing have happen.

The lack of space in the ship weighs on the mind. The crew are looking forward to getting home; life aboard the ship is hard. They work shifts around the clock – few even get to see daylight. There is no such thing as a day off, just a few well earned hours. After six weeks (combat duty), most are exhausted.

OT Matrose 1:

I work 12, maybe more sometimes – 14 hours sometimes. I’m very tired sometimes but there’s nothing you can do.

OT Matrosin:

Yeah, its kinda hard because we don’t hit any ports or anything, so its boring.

And as for leisure activities: as much sleep as possible. The permanent drone of the ships engines just doesn’t affect the weary sailors any more.

OT Matrose 2 (DIALOG)
‚Sleeping... as much as I can!’

I/V: Is it possible with all the noise? I couldn’t sleep!

‘You get used to It after a while, I can always sleep’

The sleeping berths of the marines are anything but comfortable. Between 30 – 50 people are crammed into a single cabin. There’s no room for tension – any aggression has to be bottled up.

Aggression is reserved for America’s Public enemy no 1 – Usama bin Laden. Any frustration manifests itself in scrawled dedications on bombs.

And every morning the crew climb on deck to jet off and deliver their messages.