Photo By Lt.j.g. Drew Verbis | 210305-N-AS200-1057 NAF EL CENTRO, Calif. – Navy and Marine Corps student naval...... read more read more
EL CENTRO, Calif. —Navy and Marine Corps student naval aviators from Training Air Wing 1 departed Naval Air Facility (NAF) El Centro, March 5.
The detachment was the first opportunity for the student naval aviators, 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.
“Our team conducted a very productive detachment in El Centro,” Training Air Wing 1 Chief Staff Officer CDR Harlan “HOJO” Johnson said. “This practical training is imperative to our students’ development into effective warfighters.”
Students and instructors flew 550 sorties in orange and white T-45C Goshawk jet trainer aircraft over three-weeks. Training flights also included tactical formation, low level, section low level, and road reconnaissance missions.
“Throughout the history of NAF El Centro, the base’s importance to the training of Navy and Marine Corps aviators has been vital,” said Cmdr. Jeremy Doughty, executive officer, NAF El Centro. “NAF El Cento’s combination of year-round excellent flying weather and vicinity to training ranges providing air-to-ground target sets make us uniquely equipped for the training air wings to efficiently and effectively complete required training sorties.”
This year’s operational challenge is to actively mitigate the spread of COVID-19 while maintaining mission readiness.
Doughty stated team-NAFEC works hard to meet their many customer’s needs.
“Without the training that NAF El Centro supports, the Navy and Marine Corps would not be able to provide the replacement pilot output to sufficiently man a carrier air wing,” Doughty said.
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: | 03.10.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 03.10.2021 17:19 |
| Story ID: | 391087 |
| Location: | EL CENTRO, CA, US |
| Web Views: | 321 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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