Continuity mistake: When Lasky heads toward the conning tower, an A-7 Corsair is shown at left (and the helicopter nose has a number "3" on it). As he is led inside the tower, the camera pans up, and now the Corsair is gone, replaced by an E-2 Hawkeye (and the number "3" on the heli is gone, too). (00:06:45)
Continuity mistake: A helicopter ferries Lasky to the Nimitz, but as it takes off, it is marked as unit 9010, but in flight after passing the Arizona Memorial, it is unit 9717. (00:03:30 - 00:04:30)
Continuity mistake: There are two F-14s that deal with the yacht and the two Zeros. They are respectively numbered 202 and 203 prominently on both sides of their forward fuselages. But when one fires a missile to down the second Zero, suddenly it is number 200, a jet that hasn't been launched. (00:50:25)
Revealing mistake: When the Zeros destroy the yacht, mooring lines can be seen holding the boat in place as it explodes. Obviously, it isn't actually at sea, but is very near shore. (00:45:35)
Continuity mistake: As the helicopter lands on the USS Nimitz, there is no number on the nose. But as Lasky disembarks, the number "3" appears. (00:06:25)
Continuity mistake: At the beginning of the movie, Cmdr Owens lands an F-14, number 200. Immediately after landing while the plane is raising its tail hook, we see the number 203 on the right wing flap, then after a short cutaway, we see the plane again taxi to the right but now the right wing flap's number is back to 200. (00:08:35)
Continuity mistake: In the opening scene, as Lasky prepares to board the helicopter, a blue GM station wagon is seen in the background, parked in front of a yellow Pinto. Watch carefully, as the car is partially hidden by the limo. By the last shot, the station wagon turns into a Ford sedan. (00:02:20 - 00:03:25)
Answer: First, he had a look of concern for the young pilot under his command. Second, he is also confused as to what exactly happened. They believe it was a first strike weapon, that the world was ending.