Naval Air Training Command

{{Short description|One-star command of the U.S. Naval Education and Training Command}}

{{Infobox military unit

| unit_name = Naval Air Training Command

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| image = 200px

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| caption = Logo of Naval Air Training Command

| dates = July 1972 - present (as Naval Air Training Command)

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| country = {{flagicon|USA}} United States of America

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| branch = {{flag|United States Navy|size=23px}}

| type = Training Command

| role = Flight training of Naval Aviators and Naval Flight Officers for the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard

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| garrison = NAS Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi, Texas, U.S.

| garrison_label = Headquarters

| nickname = "CNATRA", "TRACOM"

| patron =

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| flying_hours = 301,532 (2016){{Cite web|url=https://www.cnatra.navy.mil/mission.asp|title=Chief of Naval Air Training | Mission}}

| website = {{URL|www.cnatra.navy.mil}}

| commander1 = 35px RADM Richard T. Brophy

| commander1_label = Commander

| commander2 = CAPT Jeremy Rifas

| commander2_label = Chief of Staff

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| aircraft_fighter = F/A-18E/F Super Hornet (Blue Angels)

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| aircraft_helicopter_cargo =

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| aircraft_helicopter_transport =

| aircraft_helicopter_trainer = TH-57B/C Sea Ranger

| aircraft_helicopter_utility =

| aircraft_interceptor =

| aircraft_patrol =

| aircraft_recon =

| aircraft_trainer = T-6B Texan
T-44C Pegasus
T-45C Goshawk

| aircraft_transport = C-130J Hercules (Blue Angels)

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}}

The Naval Air Training Command (NATRACOM) is a one-star Echelon III command that conducts flight training of student Naval Aviators, student Naval Flight Officers and student Air Vehicle Pilots (AVP).{{efn|AVPs operate the MQ-25 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)}} 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.

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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnatra.navy.mil/mission.htm|title=Chief of Naval Air Training|website=www.cnatra.navy.mil}}

Chief of Naval Air Training

The Chief of Naval Air Training (CNATRA), currently RADM Richard T. Brophy,{{cite web |title=Rear Admiral Westendorff |url=https://www.cnatra.navy.mil/bio-cnatra.asp |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150626114721/http://www.cnatra.navy.mil/bio-cnatra.asp |url-status=dead |archive-date=26 June 2015 |website=U.S. Navy Biographies |publisher=U.S. Navy |accessdate=4 August 2020}} 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".{{fact|date=January 2024}}

Subordinate commands

File:Douglas A-4.TA-4J 158712 000 VT-25 Randolph 17.10.75 edited-5.jpg 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.

Training Air Wing One Tail Code "A" at NAS Meridian, Mississippi
VT-7 Eagles, Advanced training in the T-45C Goshawk
VT-9(2nd) Tigers, Advanced training in the T-45C Goshawk
Training Air Wing Two Tail Code "B" at NAS Kingsville, Texas
VT-21 Redhawks, Advanced training in the T-45C Goshawk
VT-22 Golden Eagles, Advanced training in the T-45C Goshawk
Training Air Wing Four Tail Code "G" at NAS Corpus Christi, Texas
VT-27 Boomers, Primary training in the T-6B Texan II
VT-28 Rangers, Primary training in the T-6B Texan II
VT-31 Wise Owls, Advanced training in the T-44C Pegasus
VT-35 Stingrays, Advanced training in the T-44C Pegasus
Training Air Wing Five Tail Code "E" at NAS Whiting Field, Florida
VT-2 Doerbirds, Primary training in the T-6B Texan II
VT-3 Red Knights, Primary training in the T-6B Texan II
VT-6 Shooters, Primary training in the T-6B Texan II
HT-8 Eightballers, Advanced training in the TH-73A Thrasher
HT-18 Vigilant Eagles, Advanced training in the TH-57B/C Sea Ranger
HT-28 Hellions, Advanced training in the TH-57B/C Sea Ranger
Training Air Wing Six Tail Code "F" at NAS Pensacola, Florida
VT-4 Warbucks, Advanced NFO training in the Multi-Crew Simulator
VT-10 Wildcats, Primary NFO training in the T-6A Texan II
VT-86 Sabrehawks, Advanced NFO training in the T-45C Goshawk

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

Training Air Wing Three Tail Code "C" at the former NAS Chase Field, Texas: Disestablished 31 Aug 1992Naval Aviation News Nov–Dec 1992 p. 7
VT-24 Bobcats: Disestablished
VT-25 Cougars: Disestablished
VT-26 Tigers: Disestablished
Training Air Wing Seven Tail Code 2S until 1974,Tail Code F through 1976 disestablishment at the former NAS Saufely Field, Florida: Disestablished 1 Dec 1976Naval Aviation News Jun 1977 p. 34
VT-1 Eaglets: Disestablished
VT-5 Tigers: Disestablished
Training Air Wing Eight at the former NAS Glynco, Georgia: Disestablished Aug 1974Naval Aviation News Nov 1977 p. 29
VT-86 Sabrehawks: Transferred to Training Air Wing Six
Disestablished or Deactivated other Training Squadrons
VT-9(1st) Tigers: Established at Training Air Wing ONE, disestablished July 1987
VT-23 Professionals: Established at Training Air Wing TWO, transferred to Training Air Wing ONE in 1994, deactivated 30 Sep 1999
VT-29: Established at Training Air Wing FOUR, disestablished 31 Dec 1976 (was a land based multi-engine aircraft navigator training squadron)

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

Naval Air Stations

NATRACOM conducts flight operations at the following Naval Air Stations:

Naval Aviation Enterprise (NAE)

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

Notes

References

External links

Official site: [https://web.archive.org/web/20040626111437/https://www.cnatra.navy.mil/index.htm Chief of Naval Air Training]

Category:Shore commands of the United States Navy

Category:Air units and formations of the United States Navy