Transcript for The 1999 crisis in Kosovo

May third. 1999. He never seems the people on whom his bones will fall. Then concentrate 100% combing through the event that bombed guys who property. Have gotten a new weapons like it and now it's time to designate jargon. Very rarely even see the plane so they're creating habits and their lines and hooded and they. The rockets were fired very high end I expected this month when you from my I was real Folbaum but for the unexpected. For him. It is senate's it's technically it's above the effective rate. We'll. It is dirt. And first. Colleges are being but might be. Get tired. Tonight. At the break. For war above. The war below. From ABC news. This is Nightline. Reporting from Novi sought Yugoslavia. Ted Koppel. At first when you cross over from Hungary and the Yugoslav there's no evidence of war to be seen. Fields are nearly plowed the shrubbery and the trees are green was earlier spring. It is a bomb me warm Tuesday. And then we come to the outskirts of Yugoslavia's second largest city notice up. And all of a sudden the war is there. This is a strange war possibly even an unprecedented one in that the two sides rarely if ever make direct contact. The people are caught in the middle. Of the combatants fight at long range. US pilots prepare for the bombing runs at bases and on aircraft carrier is far from their targets. Serb anti aircraft gunners fire for the most part blindly into the sky usually at night. At planes that tend to fly out of their range. Until this war there were always some occasions where armies clashed on the field of battle. Now for the time being at least they fight without scene show. To the degree that they see anything at all of one another we in television news overcome with. We showed you served the preparations that NATO forces me to bomb. We show the rest of the world the results of those bombing raids. They do not know and neither do we which planes from which base or carrier abrupt these bombs. But we ask Nightline correspondent Dave matters to fly out to the USS Theodore Roosevelt where such raids are prepared and law. So that he and could give you a sense of what it means. To be at both ends of this war. Aircraft carrier Roosevelt as a platform. Full of weapons. But the veritable point of that fear is the FA eighteen hornet. The leading if fact played in the US navy air. Over the next few minutes of television time will come grouse about two and a half hours of legal. Giving you what we think it's the best picture yet of a real bombing national reserve. With the cooperation of the navy we were allowed to place three tiny cameras inside the cough 01 FA eighteen. With a fourth camera inside the cockpit of the pilot's wing man. And then to review the results with the final. Navy rules preclude any identification of pilots or target. Cuomo main concern is to make sure the have a safe airplanes traded things fly. Now once I'm sure that in on the back of your mouth weapon system checks may treat them going to be able to properly put ordnance on the target I get. Every sortie begin the same way simultaneous rundown of metal of the chemical checked what. To assure the folk man and machine are perfectly fine for their mission. As he rolls his plane board the flight line at dodges that the link up with the apple the pilot reruns is simple Jack several times over. Airplanes and military power within one last check systems to make sure things work and all of a flight from overwork and and then everything's good now look innocent woman going day after Bernard. Now with a nice party salute their and that. We just playing for the so far. Now this little hard and often away. In about a matter the second half ago from Gerald about a 150 non hour. Within seconds of being released from before the five time G forces to launch the pilot is making yet another U. Equipment check. And check in all my four and its own board and make its mixture tray to be delivered. Our radar site. Clears up any countermeasures system coming have a more Israeli get. Next the fact of life in today's naval aviation using his after burners to achieve maximum propulsion off the carrier short how to pull back. The sunset dates a swift midair refueling. It's very delicate procedure first of all we need to fund the airplane on it funded think that would take gas from today as an MBA at KC 130 one after. Now once we get there we need around and make caroling and come along also. In the rating they receive gas. Aside from the moment the pilot actually delivers his bomb to its target refueling may be the most dangerous airborne part of the mission. A miscalculation. Of just a few inches and calls a dangerous collision. You can be all kinds beaming as you can see here we're approaching the basket right now they're broke out. And our goal is to put the probe in the basket safety that let me come in contact with the airplane we have very small a margin of error we'll do that news. Once he and his wing manner re fuel the two of them contract and awacs command and control plane somewhere out of sight. The awacs provides the sorties mission and targets and instructions on how to link up with its Forward Air control. Play these and give us where the target areas and description of the target area what kind of threats remain countering the target area. Pacific gained points and also where you may be thankful for collateral damage and how can that. The connection between lead man in wing man is intimate and intense. The primary task to watch each other's back. By keeping an eye out for enemy surface to air missiles or cripple away anti aircraft artillery. Both pilots go on high alert as there airplanes enters Serbian airspace. There is no reason at all warrior should've heard of the thermal electric plant to orbit an average until this evening neither her way. But apparently it provides electricity for half of Serbia that is it did until NATO bombers took it out tonight. At the hotel here in Belgrade there is some or bruises they have their own generator but for the most part though grid is dark and and so isn't over yourself and much of the rest of the country stark. And so the earlier reports say we're about the power to pump war. This is ABC news Nightline. By Monday afternoon some of the power has been restored to vote for recant videotape anywhere without a police escort so. We ask to be taken to a site that has been bomb. Most of the sites that have been hit the bridges the ministry of the interior even the Foreign Ministry makes strategic sense but. Occasionally in Belgrade you'll also find something like this. A civilian neighborhood where a rocket apparently did go astray. And you. And neighbor tells me I was about fifteen meters away or returning to my home. The airplane came from the south and so the rockets hit that is where it was far we're gonna we're sure we get at least a kilometer away but surprisingly. He did. Right here. Where we are. The rockets he tells me hit a cafes and a couple of private homes. So. Does he except that if it may have been a mistake of this error was. Companies that they're available and popular and S and global. Think that it would it would it get stated that. Turned in the opposite could've been a mistake or it could have been intentional. It's hard to know what was in the pilot's mind that the time. Bill. The mission as a sign that target designated. Now a deadly game bomb deliberate and airplane defense. Acting on the specifics on what type of defense. What kind of defensive systems that we encounter today that they're definitely out there and they're different trying to counter terrorism. Early all Serbian air defenses and even more bad weather limited NATO success. But for the past week the skies of weird. And bombing effective says improved dramatically. We're approaching the target area here. I'm looking out the window to make sure that not only am I get my centered on the target and I'm in love on the target talking visually and in target and make sure that. Welcome home the homes for the needy ego. For his first attract the pilot puts his plane into war role drops it's those and prepares to fire not a bomb but a missile called a maverick. Which will be laser guided to its target by the pilot of the missions Forward Air control play. Edging see the and those cannot now that maverick just came off the airplane. Now the the weapons often take a look out the window here and now make sure that the weapons tracking on the proper target. Make sure that had a target areas which I did. And now I'm going to send my accent mark doctored up next. That's again what can happen make sure get that target idea Agassi with a previous missile. As impact it would see the it's Moakley coming out have gotten a new weapons like it and now it's time to designate the target. And coming around to an airplane up and make shirts in the proper position second knowingly. I'm gonna Roland birdie here and actually what their plan right towards the target area make sure that once again a quick check out the make sure no. Not seen any service here mr. green card or any this is out there and they. Damage my airplane and to get the point in position if the game went on target and I'm released weapons and them coming off target. This time our pilot is firing a laser guided bombs which he will control themselves. This adds a familiar element to the coverage the monochrome flir forward looking in for red camera. These next moment says the F eighteen dives to its lowest altitude of the flight. And the pilot locks his mind on to the weapons guidance system. Are the most dangerous the mission. With the bombers are going to be right over the target areas you've seen year old in there now when I'm Dennis I'm concentrating 100% only treat that bomb guy's property. Right here the bombs already employ not gotten the bombings target we are coming off target now won't trade impact. It's above impacted ready to go around and attack. Here we go we're seeing a airplane for the third for the third attack you can see the clear pain across the the countryside. And now let's begin to domineering seeing it start this. The point of the exercise is to strike three different aim points within the target area and industrial complex inside Serbia. We determined earning point we have the FMR Blair pointed at any point now where it went weapons release. What's were weapons release is off and once again coming off target in back trying to minimize or threat exposure and guided weapons and robbery. If we look purple so you can actually see the explosion in this particular one there in the background. With satisfaction at going three for three. Our pilot and wing man hit home. Pausing briefly to check all the angles on each other's planes for any possible damage incurred on the mission. He's okay I'm okay. Now all that's left is the always harrowing recovery. Landing on the deck of the rose about. We're approaching aircraft cared about a 150 mile an hour when attendance top pick up on her feet. So I definitely throws for dinner straps and we're just saying you know they're open and all works out. I think every lane only fears for us. You know it's nothing you guys every east team itself in future is comforting to know that she felt that wire you can stop now. That building over there about a hundred euros or where it. Here's a primer is screw it was not that. But this house was wiped out accidental almost certain. Miraculously the couple who lived here the woman was six months pregnant survived and a neighbor told us they're both going to be all O'Rourke. When you're on the ground grow this is what is meant by a leveled them. All iron. Very. Bid officials face questions that they. We arrived on the aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt believed story on the ship's own television news show. Was about a NATO bombing errors that are caused almost two dozen civilian deaths. In a suburb of Belgrade. Given that watching television is one of the Roosevelt's most universal leisure time activities. Awareness of the coverage of so called collateral damage its half. And often highly resent. The media only. Trying to find all the making mistakes you know. A father and brother do my job in the best we can't we got and immediately lead they've taken over. It's hard to deal with the you know we get it done about it. Among members over Roosevelt's ordinance groups the people who actually assemble and Rick go bombs that can go astray. Errors and the unintended deaths associated with both are on popular topics for discussion. Things. Thousands of starters. You're involved in combat. This is about destroying. And and that's I'm fortunate part of it. The man in charge of all the roosevelts flight operations. The Keck yes he has known. Personally expresses his regret over civilian casualties. And then speaks more freely about how his air crews work to avoid them. I can tell you that we do everything within our power to ensure that we have the right target. But it's a military target and that we can put our bombs on target. And that. The aircrew reveals that he can't be that he can identify the target was not sure that he can guide to the target for various reasons and he's directed not to drop. And we have done that routinely. The NATO war against Yugoslavia is a strange one to fight and to report. Because no matter how busy or intense it gets here on the flight deck. The real war always remains somewhere. Over the horizon. In the Roosevelt's so brave for example was ship's medical officer lieutenant Suzanne Breen. Checks her Daly roster for ailments and finds every. Scene from act needs to minor. Orthopedic injuries have seen. Colts lose. Muscle strains in short almost everything bullet wounds of war. But she says after almost a month of wartime duty she and her fellow doctors RC indications of stress we have had an increase their. Patients seeing our psychiatrists psychologists. We've also. Just a lot of more a lot more injuries people who get what careless but tired. Of the seat. On the trial line one food workers says she's been seeing the same sides. Sometimes have got away some people come citadel. Never that is. We are seeing some levels of stress but more so. What we really worry about is a a level of complacency the Roosevelt's commanding officer is captain David Bryant. As he fled the fight Dickey used to the job they're doing the same thing over and over again. Doing the same thing with aircraft live ordinance watching the aircraft preparing them. Days it's very easy to start forgetting the hazards that are out there because as soon as they start. Getting complacent about it that's when we when he heard he the latter day. Fighting off the routine it was routine for LE long term military assignment. But what can make fighting the war from the Roosevelt hard to put into high gear is the remote missile the battlefield. As commander Phillip Logan put gum ball so the Roosevelt ordinance teams with that we. Keeps saying it's a warrior the admiral says Myrna war. I don't know if it feels like war. We don't see what's going on the pilots to them I'm sure it's war they're the ones they're getting shot at they're the ones that actually dropping weapons. Us back here. Were for a room. From the from theater a little bit. It's it's a little bit different feeling. The ultimate aim of every military commander has long been to win big and pitchers shut out. Achieve victory without any losses. Today what was wanted dream is not just the military possibility. Or the political Amanda. The standoff capability so today's weapons like the Roosevelt. With its ability to deliver death and destruction hundreds of miles away while staying safely out of range of the enemy. Shape self protective military tactics and increased political pressure. Who accept limited victories. I'm Dave Marash for Nightline aboard the aircraft carrier. Theodore Roosevelt. The fact is that if you live here in Belgrade and you've been told that all those atrocity reports about Kosovo or just lives and NATO propaganda. The nightly air raids loom a lot larger in your life. This is where the powers out. This is where your neighbor's house was destroyed. In this part of Belgrade it's not hard to see NATO as the aggressor. You'll hear a lot more about that tomorrow that's our report for tonight. I'm Ted Koppel in Belgrade for all of us surety BC news that.

This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.