“Top Gun: Maverick”: This is the school of elite pilots that inspired the movie

One of the plot lines the best weapon and its continuation Top Shooter: Maverick, is dedicated to the elite US Navy Pilot School. In it, Maverick, Iceman and other officers train to become the best in combat before graduating and entering the real scene. Although there are many similarities between the films and the TOPGUN schoolThe reality is quite different. This program is focused on training pilots who can pass on their knowledge, so they are rarely used in actual combat.

The U.S. Army Combat Tactics Instructor Program, better known as TOPGUN, was started over 50 years ago with the aim of teaching combat tactics aircraft for Navy pilots. At the time, the Vietnam War presented a problem for the Americans, as their pilots forgot the old art. dogfights and they were losing aircraft and personnel at an alarming rate.

Although the Americans flew modern fighters such as the F-4 Phantom II and F-8 Crusader, there was only a 10% chance that a pilot would destroy his opponent with an air-to-air missile. It was like this TOPGUN was established in 1969. in a trailer located in the parking lot of Naval Air Station Miramar.

TOPGUN: From humble trailer to one of the most established elite programs

Instructors led by Deputy Commander Dan Pedersen they studied the enemy, collecting intelligence about his aircraft, and developed effective tactics. The students first trained on board F-4 Phantom II aircraft for four weeks to improve their one-on-one aerial combat skills. Pedersen and other instructors used several MiGs for their training, which no one knew about, since it was a top-secret American program called “Permanent Binding”.

Part of the program’s success lies in its culture of excellence. Each instructor had to be a specialist in a given topic, trained and be able to convey their knowledge in the clearest and most detailed manner to the pilots. As well as viper or jester in the best weaponNavy instructors had to meet the high standards of presentation in their classrooms. Being an experienced pilot was important as they put their students to the test.

With the passage of time and the development of technology and weaponry, TOPGUN has evolved. The program is currently divided into three groups: combat tactics instructors, adversaries, and air interception controllers. The first lasts 13 weeks where pilots learn the latest tactics aboard the F/A-18 Super Hornet and F-35C Lightning.

Opponents train for 9 weeks in F-5 Tiger II aircraft to replicate tactics from other countries and pass them on to other pilots. Finally, Air Intercept Controllers learn how to operate the sensors and support the pilots of both groups by providing vital information in combat.

TOPGUN performs three types of missions: “Air-to-air” (like in the movies), “Air-to-surface” (attacks on land targets) and “Sea strike” (destruction of ships and other naval targets).

Oh sure Top Shooter: Maverick and in the original 1986 film, the action takes place in a school in Miramar, the show moved in 1996 to Nevada.. . The academy is part of the Naval Air Warfare Development Center (NAWDC).

Top Shooter: Maverick against reality

arrogance is another discrepancy between hollywood and school. While Iceman and Maverick have annoyance show who is the best, this does not happen in TOPGUN. From the first years of the program, instructors gave pilots detailed briefings on combat operations. If the pilot died, the teacher pointed out what factors influenced the event (physics, tactics, flight maneuvers, etc.) in order to learn from their mistakes. That helped Decrease ego factoras pilots are competitive by nature.

According to Commander Dustin Peverill, TOPGUN instructor, the program looks for three personality traits: reliability, intimacy and modesty. “While I’m teaching them, I’m also trying to get better. Therefore, I must have a humble attitude towards everyone in order to become better. Arrogant behavior just shuts everyone down and that would be a big disservice to the school,” he says. .

Another important difference is related to the percentage of approval of the program. AT Top Shooter: Maverick and other films featuring the US Navy or Army, you can often see instructors making life miserable for their students. Peverill points out that The job of instructors is to graduate students, not to tire them out.. Between 90 and 95% of the pilots who visit TOPGUN pass.

Finally, the name TOPGUN doesn’t really matter. This is a nickname created by VF-21 during their early years at the school. The instructors felt that the name was easier to use than the U.S. Army Combat Weapons School or its acronym. You may have noticed that the name consists of one word, and not two, as in the films of Tom Cruise.