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What is Naval Aviation?
Naval Aviation is the community within the Navy that involves the use of land and sea-based aircraft for the missions of forward naval presence, sea control, and projection of power ashore. Naval Aviators are the men and women who pilot these aircraft, and who eventually rise to command the air wings embarked aboard aircraft carriers.
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Where are Naval Aviators Stationed?
The Navy stations its aircraft at many bases across the United States and worldwide. These bases tend to be very close to the home ports of aircraft carriers, or in the case of helicopters, to major surface fleet bases. As a Naval Aviator, the aircraft you will fly depends largely on your performance in your early stages of aviation training. The better you do, the more likely you get to fly the type of aircraft you want most.
Most Naval Aviators deploy at sea either aboard aircraft carriers as part of the carrier's air wing, or if they are helicopter pilots, aboard smaller combatant ships as part of a detachment of a larger squadron. Some Naval Aviators fly land-based aircraft, and may deploy to overseas bases. Click on the links to find out more about each of these aircraft and their missions.
F/A-18 Hornet - a versatile carrier-based jet fighter tasked with striking targets on land and at sea, as well as protecting the fleet, friendly land forces, and other aircraft from attack by hostile aircraft.
F-14 Tomcat - a large carrier-based jet fighter, responsible for guarding the fleet from air attack and dominating the skies over the area in conflict. Some Tomcats have recently been equipped for attacking land targets, as well. Others do tactical reconnaissance with a special under-wing camera.
S-3B Viking - a submarine-hunting, carrier-based jet aircraft that drops acoustic detection buoys to listen for its targets, then attacks them with torpedoes. It can also carry missiles to attack surface ships, refuel in-flight friendly aircraft, and conduct electronic surveillance if so equipped.
E-2C Hawkeye - a carrier-based, propeller-driven aircraft that provides early warning of hostile airborne and surface attack on the fleet with its powerful, long-range radar. It also acts as the command and control aircraft for other aerial assets, for example guiding fighters to intercept other aircraft.
EA-6B Prowler - a carrier-based jet aircraft that jams hostile radar to prevent friendly aircraft from being detected and targeted.
P-3C Orion - a land-based, long-range, propeller-driven aircraft that hunts submarines using the same techniques as the S-3B Viking. It also conducts surface surveillance, and has limited surface ship-attack and naval mine-laying capabilities.
SH-60 Sea Hawk - variants on this helicopter model hunt submarines, conduct reconnaissance and find targets for their home ships, search for mines, move personnel and cargo, and engage in search-and-rescue missions, just to name a few. Sea Hawks go to sea aboard carriers, cruisers, destroyers, frigates, and other surface ships.
CH-46 Sea Knight - a cargo helicopter used for moving personnel and supplies at sea, as well as Marines and their equipment to landing zones ashore. Sea Knights deploy aboard carriers and auxiliary ships.
MH-53 Sea Dragon - a carrier-based helicopter that tows mine-hunting side-scan sonar and other minesweeping equipment.
What Will Be My Role as a Naval Aviator?
Naval Aviators must go through a rigorous training pipeline to receive their coveted "wings of gold." After graduation from NROTC, student aviators learn about aerodynamics, aircraft engineering, navigation, and meteorology at Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Florida. They must be in top physical condition to withstand the stress of g-forces, and must be proficient swimmers in case of emergency at sea. They are taught the effects of flight on the human body, and techniques for water and land survival. Most importantly, they are taught to fly, maneuver in formations, use their instruments, and land on aircraft carriers in training aircraft, hands-on. The pipeline usually lasts up to two years.
Flight School
Graduates of the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC) are selected for flight training during their final year of school. All are volunteers. They arrive at Naval Air Station Pensacola to begin the Aviation Preflight Indoctrination (API) program. This course involves academic training in aerodynamics, engineering, air navigation, aviation physiology, and water survival, as well as physically challenging practical applications of physiology and water survival training.
Upon completion of API, a Student Naval Aviator (SNA) is assigned to one of five navy training squadrons for primary flight training using the T-34C Turbomentor, a single-engine turboprop aircraft. Primary flight training includes the basics of contact, instrument, formation, and aerobatic flying. After successful completion of primary training, student aviators are selected for their community pipeline and move on to the intermediate phase. Selection is based on personal preference, individual flight performance, and the needs of the service at that point and time. Student pilots will be selected for one of five pipelines: Strike (tactical jets), E-2/C-2, Maritime, E-6, or Rotary wing (helicopter). Upon completion of their intermediate training, SNAs are awarded their wings and proceed to specific Fleet Readiness Squadrons for specialized training in their aircraft, either fixed wing (including the F-14 Tomcat, F/A-18 Hornet, A-6 Intruder, EA-6B Prowler, S-3 Viking, P-3 Orion, C-130 Hercules, E-2C Haw keye, C-2) or rotary wing (SH-60 Seahawk, H-53 Sea Stallion, H-46 Sea Knight, H-2 Sea Sprite, H-3 Sea King).
First Tour: At Sea
After getting their wings, Naval Aviators learn to fly their actual aircraft at Fleet Replacement Squadrons. When proficient, they enter the fleet. As a Naval Aviator, you would report to a squadron of the aircraft you fly for duty. You will also be a division officer within this squadron, responsible for an aspect of its operation. The first squadron tour lasts about three years. During this time, you will make at least two six-month deployments on carriers, or possible deployments to forward bases overseas if you are in P-3C's or helicopter squadrons.
Second Tour: Shore
Your next tour will be at a shore command as an instructor at one of the aviation schools, the Naval Academy, or at an NROTC unit. You may also be assigned as staff at a Navy command. This tour lasts about three years, as well.
Third Tour: At Sea
Your second sea tour, lasting two years, will be "disassociated" from a squadron. For example, you will serve on a carrier or an amphibious ship as air wing staff, the landing safety officer, or the catapult officer. After another shore tour, you will have a department head tour in which you command all the divisions in your squadron that perform a certain function, such as maintenance, operations, or safety. If your performance has been good enough, after your third shore tour you will rise to become the Executive Officer of a squadron, and eventually a squadron Commanding Officer! Beyond that, Naval Aviators may be selected to command the entire air wing embarked on a carrier - that is to say, all of the squadrons of the different types of aircraft aboard. All this time, you will likely still be flying the aircraft type you started out with.
Command
Members of the Naval Aviation community have an additional bonus: only they can be the Commanding Officers of aircraft carriers. Those who are selected after command of a squadron for this next level of achievement receive similar training as that received by Surface Warfare Officers. They first command a deep-draft ship, such as an auxiliary ship, and then will be given command of an aircraft carrier!
The initial commitment for Naval Aviators varies depending on the type of aircraft they fly. The maximum is that which jet aviators have - eight years past the date they receive their wings. You incur an additional commitment after the initial one with every promotion that you accept.
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