Training Squadron 21 | |
---|---|
Active | June 13, 1949 - Present |
Country | United States of America |
Branch | United States Navy |
Type | Advanced Jet Strike Training |
Part of | Training Air Wing Two |
Garrison/HQ | NAS Kingsville |
Nickname(s) | "Redhawks" |
Commanders | |
Current commander | CDR William M. Rietveld |
Aircraft flown | |
Trainer | T-45C Goshawk |
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. [1]
Training squadron VT-21 was originally established as advanced training unit two-zero-two (ATU-202) in April 1951, the squadron was re-designated as Flight Training Squadron-Two One on May 21 1960. The first Navy and Marine Corps students were trained in the F-6F Hellcat. In May 1954, the squadron transitioned to its first jet aircraft, the F-9F Panther with the squadron later operating the F-9F8 Cougar from January 1958. [2] [3]
In 1968, the squadron was awarded the Admiral John H. Towers Flight Safety award for superior performance by beating all 19 CNATRA (Chief of Naval Air Training) jet and propeller training squadrons. On 4 June 1969, VT-21 received its first Douglas TA-4J Skyhawk and on 8 June 1970 the Douglas TA-4F Skyhawk entered squadron service. [2] [3]
In 1961, the squadron became the first advanced jet training squadron to accomplish over 15,000 consecutive accident free hours. In February 1992, the Redhawks began transitioning to the T-45 Goshawk. [2] [3]
VT-21 have also trained international naval pilots. VT-21 began training Indian Student Naval Aviators in 2006 and graduated the first class for the Indian Navy in 2007. In addition, VT-21 has also trained student Naval Aviators from France and, most recently, Brazil. The squadron is kept busy and annually logs more than 23,000 flight hours and completes more than 11,500 student syllabus events flying the T-45C. [2]
Today, VT-21's mission is to train future U.S. Navy and Marine Student Naval Aviators, along with aviators of allies of the United States. Navy and Marine students are selected from top performing students who have completed primary flight training in the T-6B at either Naval Air Station Whiting Field or Naval Air Station Corpus Christi.
After joining VT-21, students are trained in the T-45C over a 12 month long syllabus consisting of over 130 flights in the aircraft, accumulating over 160 hours. The training syllabus culminates with carrier landing qualification or basic fighter maneuvering ("dogfighting"). Upon completion of the training syllabus, Student Naval Aviators assigned to VT-21 are designated as Naval Aviators and earn their "Wings of Gold" and receive follow-on assignments with Fleet Replacement Squadrons before their first fleet tour. [4]
The McDonnell DouglasT-45 Goshawk is a highly modified version of the British BAE Systems Hawk land-based training jet aircraft. Manufactured by McDonnell Douglas and British Aerospace, the T-45 is used by the United States Navy as an aircraft carrier-capable trainer.
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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.
Naval Air Station Pensacola or NAS Pensacola, "The Cradle of Naval Aviation", is a United States Navy base located next to Warrington, Florida, a community southwest of the Pensacola city limits. It is best known as the initial primary training base for all U.S. Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard officers pursuing designation as naval aviators and naval flight officers, the advanced training base for most naval flight officers, and as the home base for the United States Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, the precision-flying team known as the Blue Angels.
Naval Air Station Whiting Field is a United States Navy base located near Milton, Florida, with some outlying fields near Navarre, Florida, in south and central Santa Rosa County, and is one of the Navy's two primary pilot training bases. NAS Whiting Field provides training for U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Air Force student pilots, as well as those of several allied nations. NAS Whiting Field is home to Training Air Wing Five.
Naval Air Station Meridian or NAS Meridian is a military airport located 11 miles northeast of Meridian, Mississippi in Lauderdale County and Kemper County, and is one of the Navy's two jet strike pilot training facilities.
A naval aviator is a commissioned officer or warrant officer qualified as a crewed aircraft pilot in the United States Navy or United States Marine Corps. United States Coast Guard crewed aircraft pilots are officially designated as "Coast Guard aviators", although they complete the same undergraduate flight training as Navy and Marine Corps crewed aircraft pilots, and are awarded the same aviation breast insignia.
Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 101 (VMFAT-101) was a United States Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet training squadron. The squadron was last based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California and fell under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 11 (MAG-11) and the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing.
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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.
Lucy Young is an American naval officer. In 1980 she became the first woman to qualify in Naval Air Combat Maneuvering (ACM). After that, she became an ACM instructor. At that time, female aviators were forbidden from combat duty stations. After she retired from the Navy, she got a job at a legacy carrier and became one of the first female captains.
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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.
Training Air Wing TWO is a United States Navy aircraft training air wing based aboard Naval Air Station Kingsville, in Kingsville, Texas. TW-2 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-2 for either intermediate and advanced strike pipeline training or advanced E-2/C-2 training in the T-45C Goshawk jet training aircraft.
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.
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