ended its TOPSCOPE program, merging
some of its syllabus into the F-14 training
RAGs VF-101 and VF-124, and started a
traveling Fleet Air Superiority Training
(FAST) program that visited eet F-14 and
E-2 Hawkeye squadrons at Miramar and
at NAS Oceana, Virginia, providing tactical
training in maritime air superiority.
As the F-4 Phantom II began phasing out
of service, the new McDonnell Douglas
F/A-18 Hornet strike ghter was coming
through and, starting in 1984, began
participating in TOPGUN courses. The new
aircraft warranted changes in tactics and
ushered in new concepts such as mixed
sections (two-ships) and divisions (four-
ships). Although TOPGUN continued its air-
to-air focus, the arrival of the dual-mission
Hornet helped begin a move towards the
introduction of air-to-ground instruction
that would come in the early 1990s. At
about the same time, TOPGUN beganworking closer with its USAF brethren at
the Weapons School at Nellis AFB, Nevada.
It conducted exchanges and brought
an F-15C instructor on to sta . F-15C
instructors helped introduce division
tactics, single-seat radar operations, and a
deeper understanding of forward-quarter
threats. Tactically, TOPGUN developed new
tactics to counter the newer-generation
Soviet MiG-23s as well as the Su-27
‘Flanker’ and MiG-29 ‘Fulcrum’, which were
projected to enter service in the latter half
of the decade.
One of the most signi cant
developments of the 1980s was
TOPGUN’s change in status to an Echelon
II command, reporting directly to the
Chief of Naval Operations. This not only
gave TOPGUN more prestige (and vested
command within a navy CAPT), but
granted it unprecedented access to the
eet and industry. It also placed TOPGUNon par with the newly created ‘Strike U’ at
Fallon, which was a graduate-level school
for the attack squadron community.
TOPGUN also made signi cant changes
in its ‘Red Air’ program, consolidating
control over all navy aggressor assets and
training — becoming the adversary model
manager. As far as its own aggressor
aircraft were concerned, TOPGUN replaced
its F-5s with the legendary F-16N, a
stripped-out version of the F-16A that
featured an uprated engine and F-16C
avionics — it was a rocketship! Called
‘Vipers’ by the school, the F-16Ns allowed
TOPGUN to emulate the most current
Soviet threats.
From a course perspective, TOPGUN
began o ering a senior o cer refresher
program, expanded its FAST syllabus to
the Hornet community, developed an air
wing preparation phase called the Fleet
Fighter Air Combat Readiness ProgramA TOPGUN adversary A-4E Skyhawk
taxies out at NAS Miramar in June 1985.
Michael GroveBelow left to
right: TOPGUN
started as a
department
within VF-121
‘Pacemakers’,
which was
accommodated
in a trailer at
Miramar. US
Navy via author
A shot from the
TOPGUN stairwell
in Hangar One,
with US Navy
‘kills’ painted
on the walls. US
Navy via authorhttp://www.combataircraft.net // September 2019 89
86-93 TOPGUN at 50 C.indd 89 18/07/2019 13:16