Twenty-two employees from Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division were honored for work that could save pilots’ lives and prevent crashes.
Made up of NAWCWD personnel and mission partners across Naval Air Systems Command and other organizations, Team Hornet received the Edward H. Heinemann Award during the NAVAIR Commander’s Awards Ceremony in Patuxent River, Maryland on Sep. 1.
Presented each year to a NAVAIR individual or team that made a significant improvement to an aircraft or aircraft system, the award recognized the team for integrating the Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System into the F/A-18 C/D Legacy Hornet.
AGCAS warns pilots when an aircraft is about to crash and, if needed, can briefly take control to pull it to safety. The system addresses controlled flight into terrain, one of aviation’s deadliest hazards. The project led to the Navy’s first automatic system designed to prevent that type of crash.
The team also completed a 64-flight test program with 177 test points to prove the system was ready for fleet use. The work is significant because it helps protect aviators, preserve aircraft and strengthen combat readiness. Lessons from the project also could help guide similar safety systems for other Navy aircraft in the future.
For NAWCWD, the award reflects what its workforce does every day: solve complex problems, test new ideas and deliver tools that support the warfighter.
See the NAWCWD team members [here](https://flankspeed.sharepoint-mil.us/:b:/r/sites/NAVAIR_NAWCWD_Strategic_Comms/Shared Documents/Working articles/Heinemann Awards/2026 NAVAIR COMMANDER AWARD WINNERS.pdf?d=wf31e3c67c1014314b302a7b4f3b7ba63&csf=1&web=1&e=dzbmDy). Want to [read more about the work of Team Hornet?](https://flankspeed.sharepoint-mil.us/sites/NAVAIR_NAWCWD_PAO/SitePages/VX-31-proves-life-saving-ATAWS-ready-for-legacy-Hornets.aspx?xsdata=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&sdata=Y0c5YUwyd3RLRndKQnFmUjBTRWZLMCsra0cvSkMyMWZJbVlFNFg4N3NxOD0%3D&ovuser=e3333e00-c877-4b87-b6ad-45e942de1750%2Cdeidre.e.patin.civ%40us.navy.mil&TeamsCID=22caf567-4638-452d-bea3-4ccb1b189544&OR=Teams-HL&CT=1788385568055&clickparams=eyJBcHBOYW1lIjoiVGVhbXMtRGVza3RvcCIsIkFwcFZlcnNpb24iOiI0OS8yNjA4MDIwMDYyMCIsIkhhc0ZlZGVyYXRlZFVzZXIiOmZhbHNlfQ%3D%3D)