In 2003, Joe Spano joined the cast of NCIS (2003) as FBI Agent Tobias Fornell. NCIS (2003) was a spin-off of JAG (1995) also created and produced by Donald P. Bellisario.
Admiral Chegwidden states that six months before this episode takes place a Marine jet clipped a ski lift cable and killed 20 people, making their relations with Italy already unstable. This is an event that actually happened in real life. On February 3, 1998 a United States Marine Corps EA-6B Prowler was flying a training mission near Cavalese, Italy, a popular ski resort. The pilot, against regulations, flew low over the ski resort to show off and take video of the scenery when the jet's right wring struck the cables for a ski lift severing them, this sent the lift car with 20 passengers falling 260 feet into a valley, there were no survivors. The pilot, Captain Richard J. Ashby, and his navigator, Captain Joseph Schweitzer were court martialed and charged with 20 counts of involuntary manslaughter and negligent homicide. The court martial determined that the maps the flight crew had did not show the cables and the pilot stated that he did not realize he was flying as low as he was, he claimed he thought he was at 1,000 feet (regulations called for at least 2,000) when in fact they were only at 360 feet above ground. The pilot also claimed the altimeter in the plane was malfunctioning, this lead to them both being found not guilty on all charges. After the verdict it was proven that the altimeter had just been replaced and was functioning perfectly, but double jeopardy prevented them from being retried, however this led to further investigation as there was evidence the crew was lying. The following year it was discovered that one of the four crew members on the plane had recorded the whole incident on a video camera and that Captain Ashby ordered him to destroy the tape, this lead Ashby and Schweitzer to be court martialed a second time for obstruction of justice and conduct unbecoming. Both officers were found guilty and dishonorably discharged, and because Ashby was the one that ordered the destruction of evidence he was also sentenced to six months in the brig. The two weapons crewman that recorded the video were given immunity in exchange for their testimony against the other two.
Filmed entirely on location in Darwen, Lancashire, England.
The F-14D Super Tomcat was the final upgraded variant of the Tomcat delivered to the Navy in 1991. The F-14D kept the same engine upgrade the F-14B had, the F110-GE-400, the glass cockpit was upgraded to use a new stronger type of armored glass, the radar system was upgraded to the newer AN/APG-71 system and a digital avionics system replaced the old analog one used by the F-14B. The plane's electronic warfare systems were upgraded to include the ability to jam radio signals and certain types of fire control radar, a new digital tactical computer, the ejection seats were upgraded for the first time in 20 years to the Naval Aircrew Common Ejection Seats (NACES) and an infrared targeting scanner was added as well, the Infrared search and track (IRST) allowed the Tomcat to not only target infrared signatures with missiles it also allowed them to act as a recon plane to spot hidden enemy troops.