Behind the Course
U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY — For Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), the next course is already taking shape before the helm answers the order. Leaders discuss and analyze weather reports, sea state, flight operations, replenishment-at-sea (RAS) windows and the movements of nearby ships well in advance before shifting rudders and changing its headings. Every decision is deliberate, because once a 100,000-ton aircraft carrier begins to maneuver, there is little room for error. For U.S. Navy Lt. Brendan Lee, an MH-60R Seahawk pilot serving his second sea tour as Abraham Lincoln’s assistant navigator (ANAV), that planning is his mission.
U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY — For Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), the next course is already taking shape before the helm answers the order. Leaders discuss and analyze weather reports, sea state, flight operations, replenishment-at-sea (RAS) windows and the movements of nearby ships well in advance before shifting rudders and changing its headings. Every decision is deliberate, because once a 100,000-ton aircraft carrier begins to maneuver, there is little room for error. For U.S. Navy Lt. Brendan Lee, an MH-60R Seahawk pilot serving his second sea tour as Abraham Lincoln’s assistant navigator (ANAV), that planning is his mission.
