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Marine Corps pilot, Maj. N.H. “Robo” Thayer conducts conventional landing of his F-35B Lightning II onboard Naval Air Facility (NAF) El Centro, Feb. 26, 2021. NAF El Centro supports joint service air combat training and readiness of the Warfighter. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Drew Verbis/Released) 210226-N-AS200-1429
Simple Fix Prevents Catastrophic F-35 Accident
By David Byrd | Dec. 19, 2023
A simple, “washer-like” design helped avoid a serious F-35 Lightning II accident in mid-October and enabled an uneventful landing at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina.

A U.S. Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet assigned to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 251 flies above the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, Jan. 17, 2020. F/A-18s can be configured quickly to perform either fighter or attack roles through use of external equipment to accomplish specific missions. This capability gives operational commanders more flexibility in employing tactical aircraft in a rapidly changing battle scenario. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Daniel Snider)
Celebrating 45 Years of the Navy’s First Multirole Aircraft
By Kaitlin Wicker | Dec. 19, 2023
Born out of necessity and innovation, the Navy’s F/A-18 Hornet introduced a level of aircraft superiority that had not been seen before and set the standard for future development of next-gen fighters. Now, celebrating the 45th anniversary of its first flight Nov. 18, the original strike fighter aircraft is affectionately referred to as the “Legacy.”

John Engelbrecht stands in front of an E-2D Hawkeye, flanked on the left by Lt. Cmdr. Bradley Roby and Ben Hashi, flight test engineer. To his right are Lt. Cmdr. David Chapelle and Engelbrecht’s son, Scott Engelbrecht. Scott Engelbrecht contacted Naval Air Systems Command and Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, who helped arrange a tour of Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland.
Self-Proclaimed ‘Biggest Fan’ of E-2 Aircraft Visits NAS Patuxent River for Tour
By Victoria Falcón | Dec. 19, 2023
John Engelbrecht has a favorite hat and shirt—both have embroidered images of the E-2C Hawkeye aircraft on them. Engelbrecht, who turned 90 in March, loves to watch E-2 videos on the military channel, and there is no topic of conversation he likes more than the E-2C and the 25 years he spent as an engineer providing technical support for the system.

The Navy in June 2023 accepted the first E-6B Mercury upgraded by Northrop Grumman Corp. in Lake Charles, delivering enhanced airborne strategic communication capabilities to the warfighter.
Airborne Strategic Command, Control and Communications Program Slashes E-6B Mod Times
By Kathy Hieatt | Dec. 19, 2023
The Navy this summer accepted the first Block II E-6B Mercury upgraded entirely by Northrop Grumman Corp., an initiative that is slashing modification times thanks to practices implemented by the Airborne Strategic Command, Control and Communications Program Office.

A T-45 aircraft sits on the flightline at NAS JRB Fort Worth, Texas, during TW-2 detachment training.
Training Air Wing 2 Tests Out IFLOLS at JRB Fort Worth
By Sandy Owens | Dec. 19, 2023
In an effort to avoid the seasonal bird migrations at its home station in Kingsville, Texas, Training Air Wing 2 (TW-2) established a detachment training site at Naval Air Station (NAS) Joint Reserve Base (JRB) Fort Worth, Texas, Sept. 5-21. Fort Worth also offered the opportunity for the wing to use the base’s newly acquired Improved Fresnel Lens Optical Landing System (IFLOLS).

BF-18 Flt 575, USMC Test pilot, Maj Paul Gucwa from Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 23 (VX-23) flies an F-35B aboard HMS Prince of Wales in support of the final First of Class sea trials for F-35B test (DT-3) on 11 October 2023.

The U.K. Queen Elizabeth-class (QEC) aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales (R09)’s participation in WESTLANT 23 encompasses a range of U.K. and U.S. naval aircraft trials in the Western Atlantic throughout the autumn of 2023.The HMS Prince of Wales continues to push the boundaries of naval aviation capabilities and operations from QEC aircraft carriers, including increasing the range and lethality of F-35 operations.  The U.K. is the only Tier I partner in the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Program. U.K. and U.S. interactions during this deployment are characterized by cooperation and reinforce international relationships, as well as enhance interoperability between the U.S. Navy and Royal Navy.

The F-35 Joint Program Office is the U.S. Department of Defense's focal point for the 5th-generation strike aircraft for the Navy, Air Force, Marines, and our allies. The F-35 is the premier multi-mission, 5th-generation weapon system. Its ability to collect, analyze and share data is a force multiplier that enhances all assets in the battle space: with stealth technology, advanced sensors, weapons capacity, and range. The F-35 has been operational since July 2015 and is the most lethal, survivable, and interoperable fighter aircraft ever built.
F-35 Test Team, HMS Prince of Wales Ship’s Company Working Closely to Achieve DT-3 Goals
By Michael Land | Dec. 19, 2023
The autumn mix of red, brown, yellow and green reflective and life preserver vests are muted under still dim hangar lights as two separate teams unstrap and unchain the Wildcat HMA Mk2 maritime attack helicopter, with its next-generation versatility, and the F-35B Lightning II fighter aircraft, with its fifth generation capabilities, before moving the aircraft to the aft lift.

Twisting Mettle: Joint Simulation Environment Gives F-35 Pilots A Threat They Can Learn From

A new training simulator at the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) is stressing out F-35 Lightning II pilots in a good way.
Twisting Mettle: Joint Simulation Environment Gives F-35 Pilots A Threat They Can Learn From
By Rob Perry | Dec. 19, 2023
A new training simulator exclusive to the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) is stressing out F-35 Lightning II pilots in a good way.

A scissor-tailed flycatcher sits on the barrier fence Naval Air Station Kingsville, Texas, in November 2022. NAS Kingsville is located in the Central Flyway, a major migratory path for hundreds of species of birds.
Sharing the Skies: Naval Aviation Training Mitigates Risk of Bird Strikes
By Anne Owens | Dec. 19, 2023
Naval Aviation is built on a physically and mentally rigorous syllabus that requires students and instructors to overcome many challenges. Student Naval Aviators (SNAs) are sometimes required to make split-second decisions, respond to simulated emergencies and occasionally respond to actual inflight emergencies. Some naval air stations that support SNA training are located in major migratory corridors where hundreds of migrating bird species create an additional challenge to safe flight. To address this challenge, in June 2010, Commander, Naval Installations Command, established the Bird/Animal Aircraft Strike Hazard (BASH) program.

MAVRIC allowed VX-20 E-2 Project Officer and NFO Lt. Nicholas “Reek” Jahrmarkt to pull closer to the aircraft’s instrumentation than he could sitting in the legacy seat.
Ergonomics Enables Longer Sorties, Improves Aircraft Habitability
By Jacquelyn Tolbert-Millham | Dec. 19, 2023
E-2D Advanced Hawkeye pilot, copilot, and three naval flight officers (NFO) may soon be able to endure longer flights, across greater distances and in greater comfort due, in part, to a recently developed ergonomically-designed seating system initially funded by the Naval Air Systems Command’s (NAVAIR) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program.

Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Handling) 2nd Class Jynishia Wilson poses for a photo onboard Naval Air Facility (NAF) Atsugi, Japan, Feb. 15, 2022.
Celebrating 50 Years of Women in Naval Aviation
By David Byrd | Sept. 7, 2023
Long before the Wright brothers powered their way into the skies of North Carolina in 1903, or Eugene Ely showed seven years later that an airplane could indeed take off from a ship, Navy women served in the nation’s wars. During the Revolutionary War, women sailed on ships of the Pennsylvania Navy, and Maryland’s warship Defence included Mary Pricely as a nurse. Mary Allen and Mary Marshall filled a similar role aboard the USS United States during the War of 1812. Women aided naval operations during the Civil War as lighthouse operators. The Navy established its Hospital Corps—first proposed 85 years before—during the Spanish-American War of 1898, using mostly male nurses, although four female students from Johns Hopkins University, and six more from the Daughters of the American Revolution nurses’ register volunteered and served. Compelled by legislation, the Navy created a female nurses’ corps in 1908; at the eve of U.S. entrance into World War I, their high performance led to their stationing at naval hospitals inside the country as well as overseas.

On May 30, for the first time in Naval Air Station Patuxent River’s 80-year history, its Air Traffic Control Facility (ATCF) was completely staffed by women. The Air Traffic Controllers (ACs) served in nine watch stations between the NAS Pax River Air Traffic Control Tower, Radar Operations and Flight Planning.
NAS Pax River Air Traffic Control Makes History with All-Women Air Traffic Control Crew
By Chief Petty Officer Patrick Gordon | Sept. 7, 2023
On May 30, for the first time in Naval Air Station Patuxent River’s 80-year history, its Air Traffic Control Facility (ATCF) was completely staffed by women. The Air Traffic Controllers (ACs) served in nine watch stations between the NAS Pax River Air Traffic Control Tower, Radar Operations and Flight Planning.

The aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) arrives at Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth, Va., Dec. 7, 2022, in advance of its scheduled planned incremental availability.
USS Harry S. Truman Reaches 50 Percent Completion of PIA
By Petty Officer 3rd Class Christopher Suarez | Sept. 7, 2023
The Navy announced the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) reached 50 percent completion June 15 of its Planned Incremental Availability (PIA) at Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY), Virginia. A significant milestone during the maintenance period, Truman and NNSY crews continue working together tirelessly to complete ship-wide upgrades, modernization and major maintenance projects to return the ship to sea.

Dotted along the flight line at Naval Air Station (NAS) Joint Reserve Base (JRB) Fort Worth, Texas, are three C-40A Clippers, specialized Boeing 737-700s with cargo doors. These aircraft belong to a mainstay on the flight line known as Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VR) 59, or “The Lone Star Express.” Housed under Commander, Fleet Logistics Support Wing, VR-59 is one of 11 logistics squadrons across the United States. These reserve units are comprised of both full-time Training and Administration of the Reserve (TAR) and part-time Selected Reserve (SELRES) Sailors.
The Global Reach of “The Lone Star Express”
By Sandy Owens | Sept. 7, 2023
Dotted along the flight line at Naval Air Station (NAS) Joint Reserve Base (JRB) Fort Worth, Texas, are three C-40A Clippers, specialized Boeing 737-700s with cargo doors. These aircraft belong to a mainstay on the flight line known as Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VR) 59, or “The Lone Star Express.” Housed under Commander, Fleet Logistics Support Wing, VR-59 is one of 11 logistics squadrons across the United States. These reserve units are comprised of both full-time Training and Administration of the Reserve (TAR) and part-time Selected Reserve (SELRES) Sailors.

Kenny Beverly, right, and Matt Kasperavicius are part of the team from the Aircraft Launch and Recovery Equipment Technology Integration Center at Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division Lakehurst, New Jersey. The lab provides Sailors and scientists an environment to recreate the technology and overall environment on an aircraft carrier and helps protect the fleet from cyber and physical threats.
A-TIC Lab Presents Ship-Based Experience in Training Environment
By Adam Hochron | Sept. 7, 2023
During flight operations on an aircraft carrier, everything from the lighting to the readability of the monitors to the size of the work center matters, with no room for error. The Aircraft Launch and Recovery Equipment (ALRE) Technology Integration Center (A-TIC) at Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) Lakehurst, New Jersey, is the only lab with ALRE shipboard representative equipment, including replica workspaces and shipboard Delta power. 

U.S. Navy photo illustration by Fred Flerlage: imagery provided by U.S. Navy
Celebrating 50 Years of Women Flying in the Navy
By Rob Perry | June 22, 2023
In 1973, the first eight women began flight school in Pensacola, and one year later six of those eight women, titled “The First Six,” earned their Wings of Gold. In the 50 years since, Naval Aviation has expanded its roles for women to lead and serve globally. Today, women aviators project power from the sea and in every type, model and series aircraft. They fly and fight in all strike missions, hunt submarines, protect the integrity of the nuclear triad, supply essential cargo and personnel to every corner of the globe and rescue those in distress at sea and ashore. They command aircraft carriers, carrier air wings, squadrons and missions to space. In 2023, we reflect on our Naval Aviation history and pay tribute to all of our women Naval Aviators: “The First Six,” and all those who have come after them.

U.S. Navy Sailors prepare aircraft for flight operations on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68). Nimitz is in U.S. 7th Fleet conducting routine operations. 7th Fleet is the U.S. Navy's largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, and routinely interacts and operates with allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region.
The Navy’s New Hearing Protection: Made-to-Measure for Every Sailor
By Brittany Dickerson | June 22, 2023
The roar of fighter jets taking off from an aircraft carrier is one of the most iconic sounds of the United States Navy. But for the brave men and women who work in these high-decibel environments day in and day out, the noise can take a devastating toll on their hearing.

On Oct. 13, 1944, Schrader, then commander of Carrier Air Group (CVG) 11, was lost when his F6F-5 Hellcat fighter, belonging to Fighting Squadron (VF) 11, was shot down during an attack on Toko Seaplane Base on Formosa (now Taiwan).
Daddy’s Home
By Gene Hughes | June 22, 2023
Before shipping out aboard USS Hornet (CV 12) in the summer of 1944, Frederick Schrader purchased teddy bears for daughters Judy and Barbara, knowing his deployment would prevent him from spending Christmas with his family. The Navy Commander, Naval Academy graduate and aviator, husband and father of two would not return—until nearly 80 years later.

Engineer Chris Snyder checks a piece of equipment during vibration testing at the NAWCAD Lakehurst Environmental Test lab March 7.
Lakehurst Lab Brings Environmental Challenges Inside for Equipment Testing
By Adam Hochron | June 22, 2023
Even before encountering an adversary, the warfighter’s equipment is exposed to the impacts of the environment, ranging from the extremes of the desert heat to extreme cold of the frozen arctic tundra to the sunny, salty waters in the middle of the ocean. However, thanks to the Environmental Test Lab (ETL) at Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division Lakehurst, New Jersey (NAWCAD LKE), these situations can be simulated to ensure mission readiness and address potential issues.

A student performs corrective action in response to a parachute malfunction during training at Aviation Survival Training Center (ASTC) Pensacola, Florida.
SkyFall Soars: New Parachute Descent Training Offers More Realism, Durability
By Jamie Anfenson-Comeau and Angie Robertson | March 27, 2023
A new parachute descent training system developed at the Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division (NAWCTSD) is on its way to better help ensure naval aviators are better prepared for every real-life situation that could happen in midair.

James “Pipes” Pritchard, a retired CH-53E pilot, displays the virtual reality headset that is part of the new mixed reality motion platform simulator.
Bringing the Virtual World into Reality
By Rob Perry | March 23, 2023
For decades, pilots have taken to flight simulators at Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division’s (NAWCAD) Manned Flight Simulator (MFS) to train, test software and equipment, experiment, develop flight envelopes and even investigate aerial accidents in a safe and inexpensive manner. As newer aircraft and technology are created, these simulators need to be upgraded to reflect these developments becomes necessary, as was the case with one of the Navy’s newest aircraft, the unique CMV-22 Osprey.

Air-Traffic Controller 2nd Class Gerardo Sanchez, from Streamwood, Illinois, organizes administrative tasks in Amphibious Air Traffic Central Control (AATCC) aboard amphibious assault carrier USS Tripoli (LHA 7), Aug. 12, 2022. Tripoli is operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations to enhance interoperability with allies and partners and serve as a ready response force to defend peace and maintain stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
Air Traffic Controllers: Helping Pilots Find the Needle in the Haystack
By Petty Officer 2nd Class Malcolm Kelley | March 23, 2023
The skies are dark, the weather has taken a turn for the worse and the MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter is running low on fuel in the middle of the ocean. The pilots follow radar signals to amphibious assault carrier USS Tripoli’s (LHA 7) coordinates, but it is nowhere in sight. They make another pass, but still no luck. Time is running out, but the crew is not as alone as they might seem.

Lt. Cmdr. David Rozovski flies in parade formation off of a formation partner during his last flight in primary flight training at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas, in October 2016.
Reducing Mishaps by Understanding Human Factors Engineering
By Jennifer Cragg | March 23, 2023
As new aircraft, equipment and technology are created, a need to understand the human engineering factors that contribute to their operational safety is paramount to mishap reduction. As Naval Aviation evolves, it requires an understanding of how science and engineering impact the operators who fly and manage these aircraft.

Two T-6B Texan II aircraft fly in formation.
Navy Training Squadron Set to Fully Adopt Modernized Flight Program
By Ensign Winslow Blow | March 23, 2023
Training Squadron (VT) 28 “Rangers” are projected to become the Navy’s first undergraduate primary training squadron to fully integrate the Project Avenger syllabus in April. Project Avenger is a part of Naval Aviation Training Next (NATN), an initiative to update the Navy’s approach to producing higher quality pilots. “We’re making better aviators,” said Capt. John Hammernik, Project Avenger instructor pilot. “Their flexible minds are able to adapt and handle changing scenarios. Implementing cross-training with instruments, formations, and normal contact landing pattern flying, they integrate those elements and seamlessly switch between different contexts of flying.”

Military representatives from multiple countries and services participated in Exercise Resolute Hunter aboard Naval Air Station (NAS) Fallon, Nevada.
Bi-Annual Exercise Resolute Hunter Provides Real-World Partner-Nation and U.S. Joint Force Interoperability
By Jennifer Cragg | March 23, 2023
Exercise Resolute Hunter, a joint/combined exercise involving four participating nations and four joint services, concluded its execution phase on Nov. 17, 2022, aboard Naval Air Station (NAS) Fallon, Nevada. Hosted by the Naval Aviation Warfighting Development Center (NAWDC), the three-week event is the DOD’s only dedicated Battle Management, Command and Control, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (BMC2ISR) exercise.

NAVAL AIR FACILITY MISAWA, Japan (Jan. 10, 2013) A groundcrew member from Electronic Attack Squadron (132) signals to an EA-18G Growler as it returns from a flight during heavy snows at Naval Air Facility Misawa. VAQ-132 is currently finishing up a six-month deployment here in support of U.S. 7th Fleet. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Kenneth G. Takada/Released)
NAWCAD Innovation Challenge Team Takes Closer Look at Icing on Aircraft
By Adam Hochron | March 23, 2023
A five-person team from Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) Lakehurst, New Jersey, developed an innovative way to detect ice on an aircraft as part of the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) Innovation Challenge.

ATLANTIC OCEAN (Oct. 20, 2022) The first-in-class aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) transits the Atlantic Ocean, Oct. 20, 2022. The Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group (GRFCSG) is deployed in the Atlantic Ocean, conducting training and operations alongside NATO Allies and partners to enhance integration for future operations and demonstrate the U.S. Navy's commitment to a peaceful, stable and conflict-free Atlantic region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jackson Adkins)
Ford Executes First Deployment
By Commander, U.S. 2nd Fleet | Dec. 21, 2022
The first-in-class aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), flagship of the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group (GRFCSG), returned Nov. 26 to Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, after successfully completing its inaugural deployment throughout the Atlantic while conducting exercises and port visits with Allies and partners.

Aviation Structural Mechanic Airman Jordan Dicker, right, from Sebastian, Florida, and Aviation Structural Mechanic 3rd Class Brandon Coffman, from Morrow, Ohio, both assigned to the
Essential Repairs Needed: Getting A Bird to Fly
By USS Gerald R. Ford Public Affairs | Dec. 21, 2022
The first-in-class aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford’s (CVN 78) aviation structural mechanics work with Sailors from various Fleet Readiness Centers (FRC), who are temporarily assigned to Ford’s aircraft intermediate maintenance department (AIMD), to support the readiness of the various squadrons aboard.

Aviation Structural Mechanic Airman Keldon Haselden from, Johnsonville, South Carolina, and Aviation Structural Mechanic Airman Sydney Powell, from Eastman, Georgia, both assigned to the first-in-class aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford’s (CVN 78) aircraft intermediate maintenance department, performs routine maintenance, Oct. 8, 2022. The Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group (GRFCSG) is deployed in the Atlantic Ocean, conducting training and operations alongside NATO Allies and partners to enhance integration for future operations and demonstrate the U.S. Navy’s commitment to a peaceful, stable and conflict-free Atlantic region.
Behind the Scenes: Tire Shop
By Chief Petty Officer Gary Prill, USS Gerald R. Ford Public Affairs | Dec. 21, 2022
Pilots cannot taxi, take off or land an aircraft without tires. But whose job is it to service the tires?

ARABIAN SEA (Nov. 28, 2020) An E-2C Hawkeye from the
50 Years Since First Flight, E-2C Legacy Continues
By Carolyn Bauer and Rob Perry | Dec. 21, 2022
The E-2C Hawkeye has been a linchpin in the Navy’s command and control capabilities for more than 50 years. The all-weather, carrier-based tactical airborne early warning (AEW) aircraft recently celebrated its 50th anniversary of flight. Although the E-2C is scheduled for sundown in 2026, the aircraft’s impressive legacy of capability and sustainability will live on.

190307-N-SS390-0447
LEMOORE, California (March 7, 2019) Three F/A-18E aircraft from Naval Air Station (NAS) Lemoore flown by LT Phil
NAMCE Lemoore Responsible for Returning Nearly Five Squadrons’ Worth of Aircraft to Fleet Since 2018
By Naval Aviation Enterprise Communications Team | Dec. 21, 2022
The 400 officers, Sailors and civilian contractors assigned to Naval Aviation Maintenance Center for Excellence (NAMCE) Lemoore, California, have made a critical impact to the goal of 360 mission-capable (MC) F/A-18E/F Super Hornet Navy-wide since the command’s stand-up in 2018.

An unmanned aerial vehicle approaches and lands on the Ship Motion Platform at Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division Lakehurst, New Jersey.
Ship Motion Platform Brings Unique Testing Tool to NAWCAD Lakehurst
By Adam Hochron | Dec. 21, 2022
After five years of hard work and dedication, team members from Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division Lakehurst (NAWCAD LKE) are excited to see their one-of-a-kind Ship Motion Platform (SMP) fully operational.

An CH-53K Super Stallion with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 365, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, departs from USS Mesa Verde to return Marines and Sailors from a simulated non-combatant evacuation / military assisted departure mission, Jan. 17, 2017 during Composite Training Unit Exercise. COMPTUEX is the 24th MEU’s final at-sea evaluation designed for Marines and Sailors to increase operational efficiency before deployment.
Team Investment Saves CH-53K Program Schedule, Strengthens Small Business
By Victoria Falcón | Dec. 21, 2022
Ingenuity, oversight and a capital investment by the production department for Naval Air Systems Command’s Heavy Lift Helicopter Program Office helped transform a struggling U.S. manufacturer into a modern, dependable production source for aircraft fuel cells and avoided the potential failure of a critical Department of Defense (DOD) supplier.

Aircraft 166879 upon arrival at VFA-103’s hangar, at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia
The Phoenix Rises: Resurrection of Aircraft 166879
By Lt. Cmdr. Mark J. Van Orden Jr. | Dec. 21, 2022
In the waning sunlight of April 2, Victory 205 took off on a Functional Check Flight (FCF) Profile A—the last step in the arduous maintenance journey before being deemed airworthy. The growl of the afterburners and retraction of the landing gear was met with cheers, high-fives and jubilation from the 15 dedicated maintainers on the flight line. To many, this may have seemed like a normal F/A-18 takeoff from Naval Air Station (NAS) Oceana; however, this was the first flight of aircraft 166879 (Side 205) since May 4, 2012. 

The 50th CH-53E to go through RESET was delivered back to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron (HMH) 466 as a Full Mission Capable, turnkey asset following RESET.
50th CH-53E Super Stallion Completes RESET
By Victoria Falcón | Dec. 21, 2022
The 50th CH-53E Super Stallion aircraft recently completed an extensive maintenance process, known as RESET. The program achieved its “golden” milestone in September with the completion and delivery of the aircraft back to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron (HMH) 466, at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California.

U.S. Navy photo illustration by Fred Flerlage; Imagery of Lt. Stu Whipkey from U.S. Navy video by Matthew Hilborn, “ Patch Wearers: The Real TOPGUN”
The TOPGUN Legacy: Making Mavericks
By Lt. Bryce Baswell, U.S. Navy | Nov. 21, 2022
The sun rises over Nevada. A rumble rolls across the desert, but it’s not the sound of a rare rainstorm. It’s two U.S. Navy F/A-18 Hornets engaged in a close-range combat training exercise. One is the haze-grey color of fleet squadrons. The other sports desert camo with a red star on its tail, one of the paint schemes used by the Navy Reserve’s adversary aircraft squadrons to mimic those used by America’s adversaries.

CH-53K First Night Air to Air Refueling, 23 June 2021, NAS Patuxent River, Md.
Collaboration Enhances Successful CH-53K Flight Control System
By Victoria Falcón | Oct. 4, 2022
A full authority digital fly-by-wire Flight Control System (FCS) is one of many impressive capabilities setting the CH-53K King Stallion heavy lift helicopter apart from any other heavy lift aircraft. “Full authority” means the FCS provides all of the aircraft motion—not just supplementing the pilot for stability.

Aircraft attached to Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 8 sit on USS Gerald R. Ford's (CVN 78) flight deck as the ship steams through the Atlantic Ocean, April 13, 2022. Ford is underway conducting carrier qualifications and strike group integration prior to operational deployment.
Making History on USS Gerald R. Ford as Deployment Nears
By Petty Officer 3rd Class Alexander Timewell | Oct. 4, 2022
USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) is the first-in-class of the Navy’s newest generation of Ford-class aircraft carriers. It’s been nearly 40 years since the Navy has commissioned a new generation of aircraft carriers. With change comes history that has to be made. Ford has done just that.

SOUTH CHINA SEA (Oct. 16, 2021) Pilots, assigned to the “Blackjacks” of Helicopter Sea Combat (HSC) Squadron 21, prepare to hot seat a MH-60S Seahawk helicopter on the flight deck aboard Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Charleston (LCS 18), during routine flight operations. Charleston, part of Destroyer Squadron Seven, is on a rotational deployment, is operating in the U.S. 7th fleet area of operations to enhance interoperability with partners and serve as a ready-response force in support of free and open Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Ryan M. Breeden)
Navy Engineers Make Helicopter Pilots’ Most Dangerous Job Safer
By Brittany Dickerson | Oct. 4, 2022
Landing a helicopter in low visibility environments is one of the most difficult tasks in aviation for a rotary-wing pilot; add weather like fog, wind or worse and aircraft recovery can be dangerous.

Sony Venice 6K cameras, that weigh about 8 pounds with a lens, were  installed on the aft seat’s glare shield of an F/A-18.
FRCSW Goes to the Movies Supporting ‘TOP GUN: Maverick’
By Fleet Readiness Center Southwest | Oct. 4, 2022
It takes a lot to make a movie. In the case of Tom Cruise’s latest film, “TOP GUN: Maverick,” it took the artisans, engineers and staff of Fleet Readiness Center Southwest (FRCSW) to not only provide an authentic presentation of the aircraft used in the film, but also support for the filming itself.

From left, Greg Coulter, DI Lead Engineer with the H-1 Light/Attack Helicopters Program Office, Matt Moritz, Avionics Lead Systems Engineer with the program office, Nick Embry, DI Flight Test Engineer with HX-21, and Victoria Couture, DI Flight Test Engineer with HX-21, successfully test L16 and ANW2 by disembarking from and continuing to communicate with a UH-1Y Venom and an AH-1Z Viper over an encrypted network, marking the first successful digital interoperability flight with an H-1 mixed fleet.
Marines Complete First H-1 Mixed Fleet Link 16 Flight
By Joy Shrum | May 19, 2022
Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (HX) 21 successfully demonstrated the first two-way connection between an AH-1Z Viper, a UH-1Y Venom and a portable ground station using the new Link 16 software at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland, in November 2021.

PHILIPPINE SEA (Jan. 17, 2022) Sailors assigned to the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) and Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 2 conduct flight operations on the ship's flight deck, Jan. 17, 2022. Operating as part of U.S. Pacific Fleet, Carl Vinson and CVW 2 are conducting training to preserve and protect a free and open Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication 2nd Class Tyler Wheaton)
USS Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group Returns from Deployment
By U.S. Third Fleet Public Affairs | May 8, 2022
The Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group (CSG) returned to San Diego, California, Feb. 14, marking the end of an eight-month deployment to U.S. Third and Seventh Fleet’s areas of operation.

USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) prepares to steam alongside USS Nimitz (CVN 68). Nimitz is currently underway preparing for future operations.
USS Carl Vinson Celebrates 40th Commissioning Anniversary
By USS Carl Vinson Public Affairs | May 8, 2022
Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) celebrated its 40th commissioning anniversary March 13, a milestone in the ship’s long history of service.

PHILIPPINE SEA (Jan. 22, 2022) ) Sailors taxi an F-35C Lightning II, assigned to the “Argonauts” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 147, on the flight deck of Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), Jan. 22, 2022. Operating as part of U.S. Pacific Fleet, Vinson is conducting training to preserve and protect a free and open Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Leon Vonguyen)
Navy’s F-35C Brings Unparalleled Capabilities to USS Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group
By | May 8, 2022
Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 147 completed Feb. 14 its first-ever operational deployment with the F-35C Lightning II aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70).

PHILIPPINE SEA (Jan. 21, 2022) A CMV-22B Osprey, assigned to the “Titans” of Fleet Logistics Multi-Mission Squadron (VRM) 30, prepares for landing on the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), Jan. 21, 2022. Operating as part of U.S. Pacific Fleet, USS Carl Vinson is conducting training to preserve and protect a free and open Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Leon Vonguyen)
Navy’s V-22 Achieves Initial Operational Capability Designation
By V-22 Joint Program Office Public Affairs | May 8, 2022
The Navy announced Feb. 18 initial operational capability (IOC) for the CMV-22B Osprey, confirming the platform’s operational readiness following the successful completion of its maiden deployment.

CH-53 Super Stallions are staged on a flight line at Marine Corps Air Station New River, N.C., March 12, 2015. Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 464 conducted Air Delivered Ground Refueling training in support of 2d Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division to increase unit proficiency and expand interoperability.
A ‘Day in the Life’ of Marine Corps Heavy Lift Maintainers
By Victoria Falcón | May 8, 2022
Personnel with the H-53 Heavy Lift Helicopters Program Office recently visited Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron (HMH) 464 at Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina, to gain “day in the life” perspective of the squadron’s aircraft workload and facilitate communications between Marine personnel and the program office.

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (Aug. 28, 2021) U.S. Marines with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 266, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, II Marine Expeditionary Force, deliver cases of food using an MV-22B Osprey in support of Joint Task Force-Haiti for a humanitarian assistance and disaster relief mission near Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Aug. 27, 2021. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Caleb Stelter)
Disaster Relief Mission to Haiti Highlights Navy/Marine Corps Interoperability, V-22 Capabilities
By | May 7, 2022
When called on recently to provide life-saving humanitarian assistance, Naval Aviation Training Support Group (NATSG) personnel did not hesitate to displace from their duty station to join a Marine squadron not only to render aid, but also to augment necessary squadron maintenance, operations and supply departments.

Aviation Machinist's Mate Airman James Nickley, from Orlando, Florida, inspects corrosion on the main rotor head of the MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter in the hangar bay of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75), Feb. 24, 2022. The Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group is on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations in support of U.S., allied and partner interests in Europe and Africa.
How Naval Aviation is Solving Its Billion-dollar Corrosion Problem
By Paul Lagasse | May 6, 2022
Before joining the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD), physical chemist Dr. El Sayed Arafat had never really thought much about corrosion. But over the next two decades, it became his specialty.

Amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli, departs Naval Air Station North Island, Calif., April 7, 2022. Tripoli completed flight deck operations with 20 F-35B Lightning II jets from Marine Fighter Attack Squadrons 211 and 225, Marine Aircraft Group 13, and 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, as well as Marine Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron 1, as part of the U.S. Marine Corps’ Lightning carrier concept demonstration. The Lightning carrier concept demonstration shows Tripoli and other amphibious assault ships are capable of operating as dedicated fixed-wing strike platforms when needed, capable of bringing fifth generation Short Takeoff/Vertical Landing aircraft wherever they are required.
3rd MAW Demonstrates Lightning Carrier Concept
By Maj. Mason Englehart, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing | May 5, 2022
The Navy and Marine Corps demonstrated a key capability when they operated 20 F-35B Lightning II jets from America-class amphibious assault carrier USS Tripoli (LHA 7) March 30 through April 8, fully exercising the Marine Corps’ “lightning carrier” concept for the first time in naval history on an amphibious assault ship.

Cmdr. Jessica Caldwell, commanding officer of the
All-Women Crew Retire C-2A Greyhound in Celebration of Women’s History Month
By By Petty Officer 2nd Class Olympia McCoy, Commander, Naval Air Forces | May 4, 2022
In celebration of Women’s History Month, an all-women crew of pilots and support personnel assigned to the “Providers” of Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VRC) 30 flew a C-2A Greyhound from Naval Air Station North Island, California, to Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG) on Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, for the aircraft’s retirement, March 23.