The fleet's Vipers

The Navy does have operational General Dynamics F-16's, only they are named "Vipers" to set them apart from the U.S.A.F. "Fighting Falcons". Used in real life first at N.A.S. Miramar and the Navy Fighter Weapons School and to this day at N.A.S. Fallon with the Naval Strike Air Warfare Center (Topgun's heir), the "Vipers" serve in dissimilar air combat tactics (D.A.C.T.) training in the adversary role, providing the fleet with a light and highly maneuverable aircraft to fly against the front line naval fighters during TOPGUN engagements.

"Bad Girl 24" at N.A.F. Eagles Nest.

Vipers on the tarmac at Miramar before an intercept exercise - class 1 of 2017.

As in real life, N.A.S. Miramar has a number of F-16N Vipers used for D.A.C.T., increasing the capacity and options of the local aggressors. At this time we have 4 naval aviators assigned to the aggressor squadron (VFC-13 Saint Adversaries), who also fly the F-5E Tiger, the A-4 Skyhawk, and occasionally soviet fighters "acquired" for D.A.C.T. engagements in Vietnam with 7th Fleet. The VFC-13 squadron leader, CAPT. Vickster "Speed" Kühn, also flies an F/A-18B Hornet assigned to the N.F.W.S. (Black Zero Zero).

VFC-13 aggressors at Eagles Nest: F-15N Viper and F-5E Tiger.

Bad Girls 24 and 26 over the Aldabra Sea, North of N.A.S. Miramar.

Aggressor pilots come from front line squadrons at Miramar and also from TOPGUN crews that made top of their class, whom are given the option of becoming aggressors with VFC-13 as well as N.F.W.S. instructors. You can see the Viper's profile here!

CAPT. Asra Kron
NASMCO / TFCOM
 

Action Shot 01/18

TOPGUN Class One 2017 complete

Dissimilar Air Combat: F-4J versus F-5E.

The first TOPGUN class has been completed.
Following the Naval Fighter Weapons School program for the first time has given us a great platform to build on for the future. The attending crews were outstanding in their participation and collaboration, helping us improve the program with 2018 in mind. Well done everybody!

The top crew will be announced soon and receive the respective award at Miramar.

CAPT. Asra Kron
NASMCO / TFCOM

Some snapshots of Class One. As usual, click on the images to enlarge.

CAPT. Vickster "Speed" Kühn, NFWSCO.

"Speed" and "Cougar" welcome the crews at Miramar.

Front row: "Mistell" and "QB", back row: "BB" and "Witch".

The classroom component of TOPGUN, know your DACT.

Training at NAF Eagles Nest. AK-203 on taxi as AK-20 watches.

AK-20 and AK-21 at NAFEN ready to play Aggressor.

Tomcat vs Tiger: the pinnacle of dissimilarity.

"Speed" is not easy to shake off.

The crews at Miramar before a multi-region exercise.

AK-24 and AK-25: Vipers hot and static at NAS Miramar.

Catch me if you can: Multi-region interception. Ready cameras!

Debriefing after each exercise is SOP at TOPGUN.

AK-24 and AK-26. The Aggressors in practice over the Blake.

Navy Fighter Weapons School
Naval Air Station Miramar - 2017

Fight the Future

The Test 79 F/A-18C on warm up. Research and Development at the forefront of NAS Miramar operations.

To all Third Fleet personnel:

Since RADM. Harcassle left Third Fleet, we experienced two territorial losses, both of which consumed a significant amount of time, work and money to no result. As a consequence of the wasted effort on these territories, I personally lost focus on the main missions Third Fleet has since the secession of the group now assembled in Second Fleet.

Our main missions are split between NAS Miramar and NAF Eagles Nest. The Navy Flight Demonstration Team, the Navy Fighter Weapons School, The United States Naval Test Pilot School and Tuarua Fiji's integrity and safety are our main missions. There is much to be done and that is being done in each of those sectors and enough to keep the present crew and future crew members busy for months and months. So why bother expanding at all.

Expanding depends on the quality of leaders and most especially land owners. Rarely you find like minded individuals who are both. And even more rarely both and USN inspired. After the last two disappointments, there will be no more territorial or command additions to Third Fleet. We welcome and in fact are engaged in cooperation with other singular groups that are United States Navy inspired, but will not accept any other command in Third Fleet, besides NASM and NAFEN, that is not under the direct command and land ownership of one of our serving fleet command officers. As for aggregated USN inspired groups that presume to own the navy ideal... well, good luck with that.

Focus on your tasks. Enjoy what you do. And do it well.
Go Navy!
Hooyah!

CAPT. Asra "Cougar" Kron
NASMCO / TFCOM

NFWS General Dynamics F-16N Viper

With the implementation of the TOPGUN program at Miramar, the Navy Fighter Weapons School decided to add a new aircraft in the aggressor role, originally assigned only to the F-5E’s of VFC-13. With the objective of providing multiple types of adversary aircraft to the crews attending TOPGUN classes, and having the F-5E Tiger solid as a single region fighter, the decision was made to introduce the General Dynamics F-16N Viper as a multi-region opponent for DACT purposes.
The F-16N’s in service at NAS Miramar received a Soviet Navy like three tone over all camouflage with similar markings to those observed at real life Miramar in the late 1980’s. The aircraft illustrated is “Bad Girl 25”, BuNo. 17025, assigned to the commanding officer of the Navy Fighter Weapons School, Captain Vickster “Speed” Kühn. A total of four Vipers were commissioned in mid-2017 and just as in real life, they are the only F-16 in the Navy.

Real life notes:

In the mid-1980’s, the US Navy was eagerly seeking a replacement for its aggressor aircraft. The Navy found that the F-5 and A-4 in service at the time were not longer satisfactory for this role as these aircraft lacked the latest avionics developments and they would soon become obsolete, requiring extensive maintenance. The lack of an up to date highly maneuverable aircraft to perform in the aggressor role with DACT characteristics resulted in the decision to procure a special version of the F-16 to fill this gap.
The F-16N is based on the standard F-16C/D block 30 and is powered by the General Electric F110-GE-100 engine. However, the F-16N has a strengthened wing and is capable of carrying an Air Combat Maneuvering Instrumentation (ACMI) pod on the starboard wingtip. Production of the F-16N Viper totaled 26 air frames of which 22 were single-seat F-16N's and 4 were double-seat TF-16N's. The aircraft were in service with the NFWS between 1988 and 1998.

CAPT. Asra "Cougar" Kron
NASMCO / TFCOM

TOPGUN Class 01 of 2017

Second Life's United States Navy
Navy Fighter Weapons School
NAS Miramar

Induction for class 01 of 2017 of TOPGUN is Saturday, August 5, 12:00 hours.
Crews will gather at NAS Miramar briefing room for the initial over view and planning.

The objective of TOPGUN in Second Life is to develop Dissimilar Air Combat Tactics (DACT) in this environment. More often than not, ACM in Second Life (SLACM) takes place between very different aircraft types. Developing DACT skills is the key to successfully engage in SLACM. So the need exists and the need is here. For the four weeks after August 5, the crews will experience multiple scenarios for which they need to adapt and apply the theory discussed in the classes, culminating in a series of encounters that will determine who best can apply the knowledge to air combat.

Refer to our NFWS TOPGUN page for details (see here).

CAPT. Asra "Cougar" Kron
NASMCO / TFCOM