USS Carlston (fictional aircraft carrier — referenced in S01E02 'Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc')

A massive steel‑hulled, Nimitz‑style aircraft carrier — broad flight deck, island superstructure, visible deck markings, catapult gear and arrestor wires — implied to host an embarked air wing including F‑14s. The name 'Carlston' appears only as a spoken asset in the Roosevelt Room briefing; staff treat the vessel as a living command node whose launch windows and B.D.A. compress the room's timeline. Characters speak against the ship's readiness, measure decisions by its ten‑minute estimates, and orient tactical options around its implied capabilities and crew.

2 appearances

Purpose

Operate as a naval aircraft carrier: launch and recover fixed‑wing aircraft, host and sustain an air wing and crew, and function as an operational command‑and‑control platform for rapid military response.

Significance

Acts as the immediate military lever that converts political debate into kinetic urgency. The Carlston's reported positioning and short B.D.A. force Leo to accelerate operational timelines and shut out competing voices, raising stakes by implying thousands of sailors and imminent airborne action.

Appearances in the Narrative

When this object appears and how it's used

2 moments

S1E2 · Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc

Leo Seizes the Moment — Rapid Strike Readiness and Josh Shut Out

The Carlston is cited alongside the George Washington as hosting F‑14s and forming part of a 'booked up' force package; its mention increases the perceived weight and immediacy of the available military response.

Before: Reported as an active carrier platform with aircraft on deck and available for operations.

After: Still on station and forming part of the operational package whose B.D.A. will shortly inform political and military decisions.

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S1E2 · Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc

Summoned to the President — Leo Cuts the Briefing Short

The Carlston is cited alongside the George Washington to indicate the scale of carrier coverage; the ship functions narratively as a tangible element of the strike package under discussion.

Before: Identified verbally as part of the carrier grouping supporting forthcoming operations.

After: Operational status unchanged; tactical timelines tied to the Carlston persist even as executive attention is demanded elsewhere.

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