One of the biggest problems the production crew faced was how to give the illusion that the U.S.S. Alabama (U.S.S. Missouri in the movie) was in the middle of the Pacific Ocean when in fact it was docked in Mobile Bay in Mobile, Alabama. To do this, the production crew created a 100-feet long barge and a 60-feet high framework on the barge, and hung a giant black cloth on the framework. The "blackout" barge was moved around the Alabama as necessary to block out city buildings and lights.
Harrison Ford watched this film while he was deciding whether to take on the lead role in "Il fuggitivo (1993)," which had Andrew Davis already set to direct. Ford was greatly impressed by Davis' work here and immediately accepted that role. Tommy Lee Jones was also cast in it.
Steven Seagal doesn't have his signature ponytail in the film. The Navy doesn't allow hair to be longer than four inches.
Nine of the actors in this film, including Tommy Lee Jones, returned a year later to appear in the film Il fuggitivo (1993), also directed by Andrew Davis.
In the opening scene, the ship filmed at sea is the actual Missouri as it had not been decommissioned yet at the time of filming. After that, all shots of the ships interior and exterior were filmed on the U.S.S. Alabama.