Photo By Lt.j.g. Drew Verbis | 210303-N-AS200-1067 El Centro, Calif. (March 3, 2021) – Chief of Naval Air Training...... read more read more
EL CENTRO, Calif. — Chief of Naval Air Training (CNATRA) is conducting strike pilot training with Navy and Marine Corps student naval aviators detached from Training Air Wing 1 at Naval Air Facility (NAF) El Centro, Feb. 16 to March 5.
The detachment is the first opportunity for Navy and Marine Corps student naval aviators from Training Air Wing 1, stationed aboard Naval Air Station Meridian, Mississippi, to deliver inert (practice) ordnance to identified targets within NAF El Centro bombing ranges, a mission-critical phase in undergraduate strike pilot training.
“NAF El Centro provides the venue and support for an indispensable part of strike pilot training,” said Commodore, Training Air Wing 1 Capt. Tracey “PETA” Gendreau. “Strike detachments ensure our students get the practical experience they need to develop their warfighting skillsets. Learning how to tactically employ an aircraft is vital to providing the fleet aviators who are ready to fight.”
Students also practice tactical formation, low level, section low level, and road reconnaissance flights during the detachment.
This year’s operational challenge is to actively mitigate the spread of COVID-19 while maintaining mission readiness.
“Team NAFEC works hard to meet their many customer’s needs,” said Capt. William Perkins, commanding officer, NAF El Centro. “The thing I am most proud of is the positive feedback I get from visiting squadron leadership regarding the extra mile our entire team goes to in order to help them meet their unique, and often significantly different training requirements.”
Many of the embarked student naval aviators remarked with surprise about how busy the airfield landing pattern is with multiple types of aircraft operating in the area.
“The flight line is full year-round with Navy and Marine Corps squadrons and smaller detachments who come for a few days or a few weeks to conduct training on the nearby Navy live-fire ranges,” Perkins said. “NAF El Centro typically experiences multiples days where units from all Department of Defense services operate in the same space.”
The mission of NAF El Centro is to support the combat training and readiness of the warfighter. This includes air operations support to operational fleet and training squadrons as well as squadrons from other services (Marine Corps, Army, Air Force) and international military partners.
| Date Taken: | 04.03.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 03.04.2021 15:46 |
| Story ID: | 390599 |
| Location: | EL CENTRO, CA, US |
| Web Views: | 424 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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