NFWS Top Gun Program

Foreword

With the completion of the NFWS program near, it is time to start outlining the basic contours of the classes involved and adding the details that will make you understand what is in play, like curriculae, hours of flight, types of dissimilar air combat tactics used, tests and exams, and other features that will make this program the most complete DACT training for Naval Aviators and Radar Intercept Officers in the Unites States Navy in Second Life.

Put on hold due to the loss to real life of its original CO, LCDR Braedyn "Topaz" MacKenna, in 2016, Top Gun was assigned by NAS Miramar command to CDR. Vickster "Speed" Kuhn, CO of NAF Eagles Nest, where she leads the Navy Flight Demonstration Team, Blue Angels. She is an accomplished naval aviator and an ace in aerial combat and will bring her knowledge and skill to the program.

The first class of 2017 will start in the very near future and to attendees need to be selected by their place of deployment CO, who will propose the crew to NAS Miramar command and NFWS. They must be either a naval aviator or a radar intercept officer in active duty with a USNSL squadron. Though we encourage crews of two - NA and RIO - single applications are accepted for both roles, the matching of crews being the responsibility of the NFWS. Attendees will fly the aircraft type they use in their squadrons but may be evaluated in other types.
Members of Third Fleet and 7th Fleet will have attendance credited for AFT purposes.

Welcome to Miramar, Fightertown Tuarua.

CDR. Asra "Cougar" Kron - NASMCO

NOTE:
In 2019 due to NAS Miramar being on hold, the school was transferred to NAS PAX River where it now operates. All the information provided here refers to NAS Miramar to where TOPGUN shall return, but it translates flawlessly to NAS PAX River. 

NAVY FIGHTER WEAPONS SCHOOL - NFWS - TOPGUN

Power Projection Class (a.k.a) Top Gun: Advanced fighter and strike tactics for Naval Aviators and Radar Intercept Officers, by CDR. Vickster "Speed" Kuhn, NFWSCO, 2017-2020.

Overview

The NFWS's Power Projection Class is designed to train already experienced Navy and Marine Corps aircrews in all aspects of strike-fighter aircraft employment, including tactics, hardware, techniques, and the current world threat for air-to-air and air-to-ground missions.
Top Gun is offered to Naval Aviators and Radar Intercept Officers of any rank, serving as fighter aircrew in the SL U.S. Navy and associated organizations, having met the following prerequisites:

1. Completion of Intermediate Flight Training.
2. Currently assigned and active in a fighter or strike squadron or group.
3. Recommendation of Commanding Officer.

Aviator/Flight Officers should be recommended to the school as a team, but Aviators flying single operator aircraft are to be recommended singly. Flight crews will fly their assigned fleet aircraft for the majority of training.

The class will be taught in four sections: Advanced Maneuver, Strike Tactics, Escort/Intercept, and Controlling the Engagement.
Each section will have lecture portions with theoretical and practical instruction, followed by training sessions consisting of air to air combat engagements with NFWS instructors in different aircraft, typically the same aircraft they are likely to face In the field. Each section will have at least 3 periods of hands on training, and take 1 week to complete, for a total of 4 weeks.

Each section will also have specific requirements to achieve completion, typically a number of successfully completed missions or the achievement of designated mission goals. Each air crew will repeat the exercise as many times as it takes to fulfill these requirements.
Upon completion all participants will receive advanced certification and be qualified combat instructors for their units, as well as instructors for future Top Gun classes.

Course Description - Summary

Section 1 – Advanced Maneuver
This section will introduce the aviator to real life maneuvers as translated to the realities of SL aviation, advanced fighter theory and tactics, basic wing-man tactics, offense and defense. Each flight crew will be required to demonstrate their mastery by achieving mission goals in 5 engagements.

Section 2 – Strike Tactics
Air to Ground tactics using guns, rockets, missiles and bombs.

Section 3 - Escort/Intercept
This section hones the typically required mission skills. Missions will be carried out largely in the Geogeot Gulf Area in cooperation with other Naval assets. Missions will include aircraft escort, naval escort, and aircraft intercept, and strike tactics. Flight crews are required to complete 3 successful engagements.

Section 4 - Controlling the Engagement
This section continues into advanced wing-man tactics and 4 plane element tactics, as well as short-handed scenarios. Air crews will be pitted against aircraft with certain advantages. The goal of this section is to teach pilots how to play to their aircraft's strengths against the opponents weaknesses. Air crews are required to complete 3 successful engagements.

[last update 2017/02/23]

Left: The USS Enterprise CAG F-14A NH-100 from VF-114 "Aardvarks", BuNo 159608, sits at NAS Miramar, Mitscher Field, 1988. Right: The NASMCO, USS Nimitz F-14D AJ-201 from VF-84 "Jolly Rogers", BuNo 14001, sits at NAS Miramar, Du Sud Isle, 2017. Fightertown USA and Fightertown Tuarua. This is what Miramar was built for. The SL USN Top Gun school.

Afterword

[ The essential frame for the Top Gun program in the SL United States Navy was laid by then NFWSCO, LCDR. Braedyn "Topaz" MacKenna. These are his own words as written early 2016, and are kept here as an afterword meant not for closing, but for opening a new era in naval aviation. ]

Concerning Air Combat Maneuvering (ACM) Training.
- From the office of Lt. Commander Braedyn H. MacKenna.

Air Combat Maneuvering is a fancy phrase describing something incredibly simple. How to position your aircraft to kill your enemies aircraft. It sounds simple, but in fact can be anything but. What this course will hopefully instill in you is the knowledge you need to pull victory from the jaws of defeat.

Do not misunderstand. This is NOT the path to absolute victory. You will not be a god of the skies who can never be downed. The goal is to instill the knowledge in you to be able to consistently perform better in air combat.
Structure:
Step 1: Basic Maneuvers - You will be taught basic tactics involving the control of your aircraft.
Step 2: Squad Maneuvers - You will be taught how to interact with your fellow squadron members and taught group tactics.
Step 3: Advanced Maneuvers - You will be taught more difficult maneuvering in a combat situation, valid tactics to defeat enemy maneuvers, and the best way to set up a resolution to your current engagement.
Step 4: Weapons Handling - You will be taught which weapons are useful in which situation, when to recognize these situations, and how to respond to engagements accordingly.
Step 5: Tactical Thinking - Putting everything you have learned together and learning how to think with the tactical mindset needed to outwit and defeat your adversaries.

This is just a basic rundown. Courses can and will be altered depending on how I feel your current knowledge level is, and how well you adjust to the training.

~ LCDR MacKenna