The Aviation Magazine - July-August 2018

locatedFallon^ is^ NAS^ in^ the^ Lahontan
Valleycentral^ of^ west‐ Nevada^ in^ the

remnantsan^ of^ ancient^ lake‐
Due^ to^ thebed.arid^ climate,^ much^ of
the^ local^ area^ around NAS^ Fallon^ is^ irrigated

farmland.^ It^ is^ home^

the^ NavalofFighter^ Weapons^ School

(TOPGUN),^ the^ United^ States^ Navy's

premierair^ air‐to‐ and^ air‐to‐

training^ facility,groundthe^ Naval^ Aviation

Warfighting^ Development^ Center^ (NAWDC),

which^ includes^

TOPGUN,^ the^ Carrier^ Airborne^ Early^

Warning^ Weapons^ School^ (CAEWWS)

andNavy^ the^ Rotary^ Wing^

Weapons^ School. The^ airfield^ is^ named^ Van^ Voorhis^ Field

in^ honour^ of^ Lieutenant^ Commander

Bruce^ Van^ Voorhis^ (1908–

who^ was1943)awarded^ a^ posthumous

Medal^ of^ Honour.^

Navy^ relocated^ its^ Navy^ FighterThe

School^ orWeaponsTOPGUN,^ from^ NAS

MiramarNAS^ to^ Fallon^ in^

In^ addition1996.to^ transferring,^ the

NSAWCa^ squadron,^ Navy^ Reserve^

adversary^ squadron,^ Fighter^

Squadron^ Composite^ THIRTEEN^ (VFC

13),^ the^ "Saints,"‐was^ also^ permanently

relocated^ from^ its^ former^

at^ NAS^ Miramar^ to^ NASbaseFallon.^ NAS^ Fallon^ is^ home

toSaints”^ the^ “Fighting^ of^ VFC‐13,^

the^ “Desert^ Outlaws”^ of^

Strike^ Fighter^ Wing^ Pacific^ Detachment

Fallon^ (SFWPD^ Fallon) and^ the^ Naval

Avia‐

tion^ Warfighting^ Development^ Center

(NAWDC).^ NAS^ Fallon serves^ as^ the^

Navy’s^

tactical^ airpremierwarfare^ training^ center.

VFC^ ‐^13 provides adversary^ training^ for

Corpsand^ Marine^ Navy^ active^ and^ reserve

fleet^ and^ replacement^ squadrons,^ car

‐

andair^ wings^ rier^ Marine^ aircraft^ groups,

USAFinclude^ units,^ to^ Air^ Force^ Reserve

Air^ NationalandGuard,^ and^ Canadian

Forces.^ The^ Fighting^ Saints^ currently

fly^ the^

‐with5s^ Tiger^ II^ F^ Russian^ Stars^ on^ their

tails,^ Russian^ style red^ aircraft^ numbers

on^

their^ nose^ with^ camouflage^ mimicking

the^ Russian^ fighters. Their^ insignia^ includes

bywings^ worn^ the^ the^ highest^ classification

of^ Soviet^ fighter pilot,^ the^ "Sniper".^

Naval^ Aviation^ Warfighting^ Development

Center^ (NAWDC)^ at Naval^ Air^ Station

Fallon^ is^ the center^ of^ ex‐
for^ navalcellenceaviation^ training^ and
tactics^ development.^ NAWDC^ provides

service^ to^ aircrews,^ squad‐

wingsand^ air^ rons^ throughout^ the^

States^ NavyUnitedthrough^ flight^ training,

academic^ instructional^

and^ directclasses,operational^ and^ intelligence

support.^ The^ command consists^ of^ more

than^120 officers,^

enlisted^ and 14050  contract^ personnel.

NAWDC^ flies^ and maintains^ F/A‐18C/D

Hornets,^ F/A‐18E/F^ Super^

Growlers,E/A‐18G^ Hornets,^ F‐^16 Fighting

Falcons‐^ and^ MH 60S^ Seahawk^ helicopters.

2015,to^ June^ Prior^ NAWDC^ was^ known

asand^ Naval^ Strike^ Air^ Warfare^ Center

(NSAWC)^ which^ was^ the^

consolidation^ of^ three^ commands^ into

a^ single^ command structure^ on^ July

11,NSAWC^ 1996.^ was^ com‐

Navalof^ the^ prised^ Strike^ Warfare^ Center

(STRIKEat^ "U")^ based^ NAS^ Fallon^ since

1984,^ and^ two^ schools^

theNAS^ Miramar,^ from^ Navy^ Fighter^

School^ (TOPGUN)Weaponsand^ the^ Carrier

Airborne^ Early^ Warning^

Weapons^ (TOPDOME).^ SchoolNAWDC^ is^ the^ primary^ authority^ on^ training

and^ tactics^ development.^ NAWDC^ provides

training,^ assess‐

ment,^ aviation^ requirements^ recommendations,

research^ and^ development^ priorities^

for^ integrated^ strike^

maritime^ andwarfare,overland^ air^ superiority,

strike^ fighter^ employment,^ airborne^

battle^ management,^

Search^ andCombatRescue^ (CSAR),^ Close

Air^ Support^ (CAS), and^ associated^ planning

support^ systems.^ The^

is^ alsocommandresponsible^ for^ the

development,^ implementation,^ and

administration^ of^ several^

courses^ of^ instruction^ while^ functioning

asof^ the^ Navy^ point^ contact^ for^ all^ issues

relatingthe^ to^ Air^ Com‐

bat^ Training^ Continuum.^ Additionally,

NAWDCNavy^ is^ the^ point^ of^ contact

for^ all^ issues related^ of^ the^

Fallon^ Range^ Training^ Complex^ (FRTC).

For^ a^ detailed mission^ information^ click

here.^

Strike^ Fighter^ Wing^ Pacific^ Detachment

(SFWPD)^

attypical^ cycle^ A^ SFWPD^ Fallon^ usually

consistsleast^ of^ at^ one^ two‐week^

FRS^ strike^ training^ (Air‐to‐

detachment^ andGround)an^ eight^ week

TOPGUN^ SFTI^ class per^ quarter.^ SFTI^

class^ includes^ two^ week^ Air‐

‐toAir^ detachments^ to^ various^ Navy^ and

MarineStations,^ Corps^ Air^ and^ a^ two

day^ detachment^ to^ Naval^

ChinaWarfare^ Center^ Air^ Lake,^ Calif.^

schedule^ continuesThisyear‐round.^ Currently

they^ fly^ different^ ver‐

sions^ the^ F/A‐18.^ of The^ Aviation^ Magazine^ would^ like^ to^

Lt^ Colonel^ ZipthankUpham,^ and^ his^

staff^ for^ their^ great^ hospitality^

ourthe^ base^ during^ on^ visit^ and^ the^ friendly

and^ helpful^ support.^