Naval Air Training Command

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Naval Air Training Command
Naval Air Training Command.png
Logo of Naval Air Training Command
ActiveJuly 1972 - present (as Naval Air Training Command)
Country Flag of the United States.svg United States of America
BranchFlag of the United States Navy (official).svg  United States Navy
TypeTraining Command
RoleFlight training of Naval Aviators and Naval Flight Officers for the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard
Headquarters NAS Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi, Texas, U.S.
Nickname(s)"CNATRA", "TRACOM"
Flying hours301,532 (2016) [1]
Website www.cnatra.navy.mil
Commanders
Commander Flag of a United States Navy rear admiral.svg RADM Richard T. Brophy
Chief of Staff CAPT Jeremy Rifas
Aircraft flown
Fighter F/A-18E/F Super Hornet (Blue Angels)
Trainer helicopter TH-57B/C Sea Ranger
Trainer T-6B Texan
T-44C Pegasus
T-45C Goshawk
Transport C-130J Hercules (Blue Angels)

The Naval Air Training Command (NATRACOM) is a one-star Echelon III command that conducts flight training of student Naval Aviators, and Naval Flight Officers. Though it does not conduct Naval Aircrew training which is conducted by Naval Education and Training Command's Naval Aviation Schools Command (NASC), it is responsible for monitoring the production of Aircrewmen through the Naval Aviator Production Process (NAPP). Through the NAPP, NATRACOM is also responsible for programming and monitoring the production of all (currently 19) Navy and Marine Corps Fleet Replacement Squadrons.

Contents

It conducts operations aboard five Naval Air Stations in three states. The Mission of Naval Air Training Command is to train the world’s finest combat quality aviation professionals, delivering them at the right time, in the right numbers, and at the right cost. [2]

Chief of Naval Air Training

The Chief of Naval Air Training (CNATRA), currently RDML Richard T. Brophy, [3] leads the Naval Air Training Command (NATRACOM) and is headquartered on board Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas. As recently as 2009, NATRACOM's 739 aircraft logged 358,449 flight hours, nearly a third of the Department of the Navy total for that fiscal year. To put those numbers in perspective, CNATRA flew 28% of the combined Navy and Marine Corps flight hours with 19% of the aircraft. In that same time more than 2,400 Naval Aviators, Naval Flight Officers (NFO) and Naval Aircrewmen earned their “Wings of Gold”.

Subordinate commands

TA-4J Skyhawk flown by the Commander Naval Air Training Command CNATRA. The red carpet has been rolled out for him at Randolph AFB, Texas, in 1975 Douglas A-4.TA-4J 158712 000 VT-25 Randolph 17.10.75 edited-5.jpg
TA-4J Skyhawk flown by the Commander Naval Air Training Command CNATRA. The red carpet has been rolled out for him at Randolph AFB, Texas, in 1975

CNATRA leads the Naval Air Training Command (NATRACOM) composed of five Training Air Wings. The five active wings are home to seventeen Training Squadrons, designated VT and HT squadrons.

There were three Training Air Wings which have been disestablished (with assigned squadrons)

CNATRA also oversees the Naval Flight Demonstration Squadron (NFDS) Blue Angels.

NATRACOM conducts flight operations at the following Naval Air Stations:

The NATRACOM is part of the Naval Aviation Enterprise (NAE), reporting to Commander, Naval Air Forces.

See also

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">VT-4 (United States)</span> Military unit

VT-4 Training Squadron 4 is a training squadron of the United States Navy. Initially established as Basic Training Group NINE (BTG-9) in the 1950s, the squadron was redesignated as Training Squadron FOUR (VT-4) on May 1, 1960 and based at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Naval Air Station Corpus Christi</span> Naval air base in Texas, United States

Naval Air Station Corpus Christi is a United States Navy naval air base located six miles (10 km) southeast of the central business district (CBD) of Corpus Christi, in Nueces County, Texas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Naval aviator (United States)</span> Officer qualified as a manned aircraft pilot in the US Navy or US Marine Corps

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">VT-9</span> Military unit

The VT-9 Tigers is one of four U.S. Navy strike jet training squadrons and one of two based at Naval Air Station Meridian in Mississippi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">VT-10</span> Military unit

Training Squadron TEN (VT-10) is a training squadron of the United States Navy. The squadron is homebased at NAS Pensacola, Florida.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">VT-86</span> Military unit

Training Squadron EIGHT SIX (VT-86), also known as the "Sabrehawks," is a United States Navy advanced jet training squadron based at the Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida. Training Squadron 86 is a tenant command of Training Air Wing 6. They are a training squadron flying the T-45C Goshawk. Their tailcode is F and their radio callsign is ROKT.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Naval Air Station Kingsville</span> US Navy training base in Texas

Naval Air Station Kingsville or NAS Kingsville (NASK) is a United States Navy Naval Air Station located approximately 3 miles east of Kingsville, Texas in Kleberg County. NAS Kingsville is under the jurisdiction of Navy Region Southeast and is the headquarters of Training Air Wing Two. The station also operates a nearby satellite airfield, NALF Orange Grove.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Naval Air Station Glynco</span> Former military air base

Naval Air Station Glynco, Georgia, was an operational naval air station from 1942 to 1974 with an FAA airfield identifier of NEA and an ICAO identifier of KNEA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">HT-18</span> Military unit

Helicopter Training Squadron EIGHTEEN (HT-18) is a United States Navy helicopter training squadron based at Naval Air Station Whiting Field in Milton, Florida. The squadron's mission is helicopter pilot training for U. S. Navy, U. S. Marine Corps and U. S. Coast Guard Student Naval Aviators and for selected foreign military flight students from basic helicopter flight training through winging, the squadron also provides indoctrination fights for Midshipmen and Flight Surgeons. Student Naval Aviators report to HT-18 for helicopter training upon completion of primary flight training conducted in the T-6B Texan II U. S. Navy primary flight trainer. HT-18 flies both the TH-57B Sea Ranger and the TH-57C Sea Ranger. The Squadron's nickname is "Vigilant Eagles"

<span class="mw-page-title-main">VT-27</span> Military unit

VT-27 is a primary training squadron of the United States Navy. One of just five Navy primary training squadrons, VT-27 is one of two located on the Texas Coastal Bend.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">VT-6</span> Military unit

Training Squadron Six (VT-6) or TRARON SIX, known as the Shooters, callsign "Shooter", is a United States Navy primary training squadron stationed at Naval Air Station Whiting Field flying the T-6B Texan. The Shooters are one of five primary training squadrons in operation today.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Naval Air Station Chase Field</span> Airport in Beeville, Texas

Naval Air Station Chase Field is a former naval air station located in Beeville, Texas. It was named for Lieutenant Commander Nathan Brown Chase, Naval Aviator #37, who died in 1925 while developing carrier landing techniques for the U.S. Navy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">VT-28</span> Military unit

The VT-28 "Rangers" is a U.S. Navy primary flight training squadron based at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Training Air Wing Five</span> Military unit

Training Air Wing Five is a United States Navy aircraft training air wing based at Naval Air Station Whiting Field, in Milton, FL. TW-5 is one of five training wings in the Naval Air Training Command, and consists of three fixed-wing primary training squadrons and three rotary-wing advanced training squadrons. The wing trains Student Naval Aviators from the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, and U.S. Coast Guard, as well as international allies with instructors of varying backgrounds and seniority from the aforementioned military branches.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">VT-22</span> Military unit

Training Squadron 22 (VT-22) or TRARON TWO TWO, known as the Golden Eagles, callsign "Blazer", is a U.S. Navy strike jet training squadron stationed aboard Naval Air Station Kingsville, flying the T-45C Goshawk. The Golden Eagles are one of four strike jet training squadrons in operation today, and are under the command of Training Air Wing Two.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">VT-21</span> Military unit

Training Squadron 21 (VT-21), known as the Redhawks, is a U.S. Navy strike jet training squadron stationed aboard Naval Air Station Kingsville, Texas flying the T-45C Goshawk. The Redhawks are one of four strike jet training squadrons in operation today, and are under the command of Training Air Wing Two.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Training Air Wing One</span> Military unit

Training Air Wing ONE is a United States Navy aircraft training air wing based aboard Naval Air Station Meridian, located 11 miles northeast of Meridian, Mississippi in Lauderdale County and Kemper County. TW-1 is one of five training air wings in the Naval Air Training Command, and consists of two jet training squadrons. The wing trains Student Naval Aviators from the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, and international allies. Following completion of primary flight training and selection of an advanced training pipeline, Student Naval Aviators are assigned to TW-1 for either intermediate and advanced strike pipeline training or advanced E-2/C-2 training in the T-45C Goshawk jet training aircraft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">VT-7</span> Military unit

Training Squadron SEVEN (VT-7), known as the Eagles, is one of four U.S. Navy strike jet training squadrons and one of two based at Naval Air Station (NAS) Meridian. VT-7, along with Training Squadron NINE (VT-9), make up Training Air Wing One of the Naval Air Training Command. In addition to providing advanced training for strike jets, VT-7 provides additional advanced training for airborne early warning and carrier onboard delivery aircraft. VT-7 also trains United States Marine Corps (USMC) aviators and select foreign military pilots.

References

  1. "Chief of Naval Air Training | Mission".
  2. https://www.cnatra.navy.mil/mission.htm [ bare URL ]
  3. "Rear Admiral Westendorff". U.S. Navy Biographies. U.S. Navy. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
  4. Naval Aviation News Nov–Dec 1992 p. 7
  5. Naval Aviation News Jun 1977 p. 34
  6. Naval Aviation News Nov 1977 p. 29