THE NAVY’S REAL TOP GUN SCHOOL STARTED IN A PARKING LOT
Starting from the bottom is putting it mildly when talking about the Navy's TOP GUN school. With a very humble beginning, the school started out of a trailer in a parking lot in Miramar, California. It was created to better train Navy fighter pilots during Vietnam. For the past 36 years, the school has been intrinsically linked to the 1986 Hollywood blockbuster movie. In 2022, the long-awaited sequel to Top Gun, Top Gun: Maverick, came out. It re-igniting a global passion for a very secretive U.S. Navy training center that is now in the heart of the Nevada desert.Related read: ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ Reignites Interest In Real Top Gun Pilots
What is the Top Gun School?
The TOP GUN school for the Navy is also known as the United States Navy Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor program. In this program, pilots undergo advanced skills training such as aerial combat training and tactics to excel. The training program typically lasts for 9 weeks.You may be wondering if any physical fitness standards are required. The answer is yes. Pilots must meet standards for endurance strength and agility. Upon completion of the course, most go back to the fleets weapons schools. Some are invited back to become elite instructors.TOPGUN was one of the first centers for excellence in the Defense Department. Because of this, it is a model for other military units.
Where is the Top Gun School’s Location?
Now located in the Fallon Naval Air Station, the TOP GUN school moved in 1996. The Navy entered it into the Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center that was new at the time. It is now known as the Naval Aviation Warfighting Development Center. This center includes the school as well as the Carrier Airborne Early Warning Weapons School and the Navy Rotary Wing Weapons school.
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F-35C Lightning II Nosedives While in Use by Top Gun School
The very first TOP GUN school class that used the F 35c Lightning II used two pilots who graduated from Class 02-20. The school's addition of the Lightning II was one of the biggest accomplishments in their history. The SFTI course is aimed at maintaining standards across the Navy and is focused on pilots, weapons systems officers, and intelligence officers.Most of the students apply at the end of their first fleet tour. The staff will then pick the best and most qualified applicants to participate in the course. Earlier this month, an image of the jet face-planted into the concrete in a hanger was posted. Military.com reached out to 3rd Marine Air Wing, which is the unit that owns the $100 million fifth-generation jet, confirming the incident.Capt. Stephanie Leguizamon said that it collapsed following shutdown procedures at the naval air station. The jet was in fact parked when it collapsed. She further explained, “The damage was confined to the nose landing gear, and we expect this jet to be repaired and fully operational soon. There were no injuries to any military or civilian personnel.”Read next: Your 2024 Government Shutdown Military Pay Questions Answered