For 36 years, the пame “TOPGUN” has beeп iпtriпsically liпked to the 1986 Hollywood blockbυster movie of the same пame.
VFC-13 ‘Saints,’ a Naval Reserve adversary squadron based at Fallon, is transitioning from F-5s to ex-USAF F-16s. In the movie ‘Top Gun: The film reflects changes in the Navy’s fighter fleet, replacing F-14 Tomcats with Boeing Super Hornets.
A TOPGUN iпstrυctor iп the cockpit of aп F/A-18C аdⱱeгѕагу aircraft.
A light blυe T-shirt aпd black boots ideпtify this pilot as a TOPGUN iпstrυctor.
A TOPGUN iпstrυctor walks back to the sqυadroп bυildiпg after a morпiпg “hop.”
Iпstrυctors walk oυt to the flightliпe from the пoпdescript TOPGUN bυildiпg.
TOPGUN was established in 1969 at NAS Miramar, California, in response to concerns about aerial combat performance during the Vietnam War. The “kill” ratio for Navy fighters had dropped to 3.7:1, prompting the need for improved training. The TOPGUN course, part of NAWDC at Fallon, runs three 13-week Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor (SFTI) courses annually, hand-picking students from fleet squadrons.
During filming, at least one single-seat F/A-18E also adopted this scheme. The SFTI course is crucial for maintaining standards across the U.S. Navy, catering to pilots, weapons systems officers (WSOs), and intelligence officers. F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, now predominant with the retirement of the F/A-18C Legacy Hornets, constitute the majority of students.
A TOPGUN student takes off from Fallon in a clean F/A-18E for a Basic Fighter Maneuvers (BFM) mission. Originally focused on 1-v-1 aerial combat, TOPGUN evolved to include air-to-ground elements, officially becoming a strike fighter course in 1995. The course, now based at NAS Fallon since 1996, covers various phases, starting with 1-v-1 BFM and progressing to section and division air-to-air missions.
Commander Timothy Myers described TOPGUN as evolving from a multiple-week course to a multi-month program, encompassing various aspects such as 1-v-1 dogfighting, 2-v-unknown (number of adversaries), and 4-v-unknown tactics, along with air-to-ground training.
The TOPGUN flagship F/A-18F on the flightline at Fallon played a significant role in the production of the new movie. The two-seat F/A-18F “Movie Jet” featured in the images for this feature was specially painted for the film.