Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center
Encyclopedia
Naval Air Station Fallon
Naval Air Station Fallon or NAS Fallon is the United States Navy's premier air-to-air and air-to-ground training facility. It is located southeast of the city of Fallon in western Nevada in the United States. Since 1996, it has been home to the Naval Fighter Weapons School , and the surrounding...
located in the city of Fallon
Fallon, Nevada
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 7,536 people, 3,004 households, and 1,877 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,474.1 people per square mile . There were 3,336 housing units at an average density of 1,095.2 per square mile...
in western Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
is the center of excellence for naval aviation
Naval aviation
Naval aviation is the application of manned military air power by navies, including ships that embark fixed-wing aircraft or helicopters. In contrast, maritime aviation is the operation of aircraft in a maritime role under the command of non-naval forces such as the former RAF Coastal Command or a...
training and tactics development. NSAWC provides service to aircrews, squadrons and air wings throughout the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
through flight training, academic instructional classes, and direct operational and intelligence support.
History
NSAWC consolidated three commands into a single command structure under a flag officerFlag Officer
A flag officer is a commissioned officer in a nation's armed forces senior enough to be entitled to fly a flag to mark where the officer exercises command. The term usually refers to the senior officers in an English-speaking nation's navy, specifically those who hold any of the admiral ranks; in...
on 11 July 1996 to enhance aviation training effectiveness. The Naval Strike Warfare Center (STRIKE "U") based at NAS Fallon since 1984, was joined with the Navy Fighter Weapons School (TOPGUN) and the Carrier Airborne Early Warning Weapons School (TOPDOME) which both moved from NAS Miramar as a result of a Base Realignment and Closure
Base Realignment and Closure
Base Realignment and Closure is a process of the United States federal government directed at the administration and operation of the Armed Forces, used by the United States Department of Defense and Congress to close excess military installations and realign the total asset inventory to reduce...
(BRAC) decision in 1993. The Seahawk Weapon School was added in 1998 to provide tactical training for navy helicopters.
Mission
NSAWC is the primary authority on training and tactics development. NSAWC provides training, assessment, aviation requirements recommendations, research and development priorities for integrated strike warfare, maritime and overland air superiority, strike fighter employment, airborne battle management, Combat Search and RescueCombat search and rescue
Combat search and rescue are search and rescue operations that are carried out during war that are within or near combat zones.A CSAR mission may be carried out by a task force of helicopters, ground-attack aircraft, tankers and an airborne command post...
(CSAR), Close Air Support
Close air support
In military tactics, close air support is defined as air action by fixed or rotary winged aircraft against hostile targets that are close to friendly forces, and which requires detailed integration of each air mission with fire and movement of these forces.The determining factor for CAS is...
(CAS), and associated planning support systems. The command is also responsible for the development, implementation, and administration of several courses of instruction while functioning as the Navy point of contact for all issues relating to the Air Combat Training Continuum. Additionally, NSAWC is the Navy point of contact for all issues related to the Fallon Range Training Complex.
Command structure
NSAWC consists of nine departments. Personnel Resources (N1) oversees administrative functions, supply, security, automated information systems, and first lieutenant. The Intelligence Department (N2) provides support to air wing training in Fallon as well as to fleets and battle groups based all over the world. Operations (N3) manages scheduling for aircraft, aircrew, the training ranges, and keeps aircrew log books and records. The Maintenance Department (N4) maintains all NSAWC aircraft, including parts and supplies, manages the loading, unloading and storage of ordnance, and maintains aircrew flight equipment.Plans, Programs and Tactics (N5) is involved in tactics development and assessment for tactical aircraft and H-60 helicopters, program management and participation, mission planning, and inter/intra service liaison. N5 is the legacy "Strike U" organization and is headed by a Naval Aviator who typically fleets up from the N7 dept head position.
The C4I/C2W Department N6 (Most notably N63, CIS Division). CIS hosts the best and brightest IT's and ET's, (working together to provide customer support to the already excellent command) provides graduate-level command, control, communication, and computer intelligence and battle management training to E-2 Hawkeye
E-2 Hawkeye
The Grumman E-2 Hawkeye is an American all-weather, aircraft carrier-capable tactical airborne early warning aircraft. This twin-turboprop aircraft was designed and developed during the late 1950s and early 1960s by the Grumman Aircraft Company for the United States Navy as a replacement for the...
aircrew, and joint inter-operability training to naval warfare communities, U.S. Air Force, and NATO commands.
The Navy Fighter Weapon School (N7) instructs advanced methods of strike-fighter employment through the "TOPGUN" Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor (SFTI) course. Some have claimed it to be a "graduate-level" course, however, it is currently neither accredited as a graduate school nor does it provide postgraduate degrees in the academic sense. It also conducts the Strike Leader Attack Training Syllabus (SLATS) and Senior Officers Course (SOC); and manages air wing power projection training. N7 personnel retain the traditional light blue t-shirts and light brown leather nametags worn by TOPGUN personnel and have their own spaces (shared with N6 and N8) separate from the main NSAWC building that house the heritage of TOPGUN legacy in forms of photos and other memorabilia. The NSAWC F-16 aircraft sport the TOPGUN patch on the tail.
The Navy Rotary Wing Weapons School (N8) instructs graduate-level rotary wing employment through the "SEAWOLF" Seahawk Weapons and Tactics Instructor (SWTI) course. It also conducts the Strike Leader Attack Training Syllabus (SLATS), Senior Officers Course (SOC), assists N5 with airwing training, and manages the Navy's Mountain Flying Course.
Finally, the Operational Risk Management/Safety Department (N9) manages air-and-ground related safety programs as well as medical training programs.
Training
Carrier air wing
A Carrier Air Wing is an operational naval aviation organization composed of several aircraft squadrons and detachments of various types of fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft...
(CVW) training and the "TOPGUN" SFTI and "SEAWOLF" SWTI courses. Air wing training brings together all of an air wing's squadrons for four weeks, providing strike planning and execution training opportunities in a dynamic, realistic, scenario-driven simulated wartime environment.
Air wing training consists of power projection training in strike warfare, amphibious operations, joint battlefield operations, CAS, and CSAR. The SFTI course trains individuals in the art of air-to-air and air-to-ground superiority. It provides highly advanced tactical training in the F/A-18 (and formerly the F-14) including tactics, hardware and threat training. The SWTI course trains individuals in the art of rotary wing superiority. It provides highly advanced tactical training in the SH-60, HH-60, and MH-60 including tactics, hardware, and threat training. Air wing training is conducted an average of four times per year, and the SFTI course is conducted five times a year. Additionally, NSAWC staff members augment "adversary" air support, or "bandit" presentations, to support airborne portions of the training. NSAWC also annually hosts a ten-day CSAR exercise providing all-service participation with one full week of exercise flying involved.
Concurrent with each SFTI course, NSAWC conducts an Adversary Training Course where pilots receive individual instruction in threat simulation, effective threat presentation and adversary tactics. Each class trains five to six Air Intercept Controllers in effective strike/fighter command and control.
In the classroom, NSAWC also conducts tactically oriented courses. The SOC addresses strategic and tactical issues at the battle group commander, air wing commander and squadron commanding officer level. SLATS introduces junior Navy and Marine Corps officers to all aspects of air wing, battle group and joint force tactics, planning and hardware. Another important course is the Advanced Mission Commander's Course (AMCC) which focuses on the airborne battle management, providing graduate-level command, control and communication training to E-2C mission commanders and other carrier aircraft plane commanders.