A Naval Flight Officer in the United States Navy and Marine Corps is an officer of the line, meaning they can screen for command in the naval aviation community. After completion of schooling, they receive the Naval Flight Officer Badge. NFO is the Navy acronym for these aviators. USN redirects here. ... The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is a branch of the U.S. military responsible for providing power projection from the sea,[1] utilizing the mobility of the U.S. Navy to rapidly deliver combined-arms task forces to global crises. ... Naval aviation is the application of manned military air power by the navies of the world such as those operated by the United States Navy. ... Naval Flight Officer Badge Flight Officer Astronaut Badge The Naval Flight Officer Badge is a decoration of the United States military which is awarded to those aviators of the Navy and Marine Corps who have qualified as Flight Officers onboard military aircraft. ...

In the famous 1986 film Topgun, Goose (center) is an NFO. He is seen here singing "You've Lost That Loving Feeling" with his pilot, Maverick.

Image File history File linksMetadata Youve_lost_that_loving_feeling_Top_Gun. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Youve_lost_that_loving_feeling_Top_Gun. ...

Indoctrination

Like Naval Aviators, NFOs attend Aviation Preflight Indoctrination at NAS Pensacola, Florida. They also receive basic aviation training up to, but not including, soloing in a primary trainer. In addition to this experience instrumentation and navigation are taught in greater depth to include visual low-level navigation, aerobatics, and formation flight. Based upon performance, preference, and needs of the Navy the student will check out of VT-4 (Warbucks) or VT-10 (Wildcats, or Cosmic Cats) (Primary Training Squadrons for Student NFO's) and be assigned advanced training. An aircraft carrier is a warship whose main role is to deploy and recover aircraft. ... Naval Air Station Pensacola, The Cradle of Naval Aviation, is a United States Navy base located in Warrington, Florida, a community southwest of the Pensacola city limits. ...

Training

• Training for a NFO is in a tiered system. After primary training is completed students are either selected for carrier aviation or "maritime" aviation (land-based, larger aircraft). Selection is based on the rank of the student in his/her class. The one graduating first gets their choice of duty and is known as the "Honorman/woman". The rest of the graduates are placed in billets according to "the needs of the navy".

• For carrier aviation students their training progresses an additional fourteen weeks with their primary training squadron before being assigned to VT-86 for jet training EA-6B Prowler, F/A-18F Super Hornet, or F/A-18D Hornet. Jet training at VT-86 does not actually utilize any of those aircraft to train students. Training in specific aircraft after winging occurs at fleet replacement squadrons, which also holds true for land-based aircraft. Some carrier aviation students do not choose to select jets and are transferred to Norfolk for advanced training to prepare for the E-2C Hawkeye Fleet replacement squadron (VAW-120), also located in Norfolk, VA.

• Intermediate training for land-based aircraft typically sends student NFO's to San Antonio, TX for joint training at Randolph Air Force Base before being sent to the FRS for the E-6 Mercury TACAMO plane, the EP-3E Aries, or the P-3C Orion. Some students are currently being sent directly to the FRS for P-3Cs as part of a shorter test advanced training program before beginning the normal FRS Syllabus.

The EA-6 Prowler is the United States Navys and the United States Marine Corpss primary electronic warfare aircraft. ... Four F/A-18 E/F Super Hornets assigned to the Black Aces of Strike Fighter Squadron Forty One (VFA-41) fly over the Western Pacific Ocean in a stack formation. ... An F/A-18 taking off from USS Kitty Hawk The Boeing (formerly McDonnell Douglas) F/A-18 Hornet is a modern all-weather carrier-capable strike fighter jet, designed to attack both ground and aerial targets. ... The Grumman E-2 Hawkeye is the United States Navys all-weather, aircraft carrier-based tactical warning and control system aircraft. ... The Boeing E-6 Mercury is a United States of America military aircraft. ... The Lockheed EP-3E Orion Aries II is a turboprop-based signals reconnaissance aircraft, operated by the United States Navy. ... The Lockheed P-3 Orion is a patrol aircraft of the United States military used primarily for anti-submarine warfare. ...

The Fleet

• In the Fleet, NFOs are assigned to Navy and Marine squadrons flying the F/A-18F Super Hornet, F/A-18D Hornet (Marines Only), EA-6B Prowler, E-6 Mercury, E-2C Hawkeye, EP-3 Aries, and P-3 Orion.

• In larger aircraft, like the P-3, the NFO is designated as the navigator and Tacco. In the EA-6B, they are designated as Electronic Countermeasures Operators (ECMOs) and navigator. In the F/A-18F, the position is known as either the BN (Bombadier/Navigator) or Weapons Systems Officer (WSOs). In the E-2C Hawkeye, they are designated Combat Information Center Officers (CICOs). The specific roles filled by a NFO can vary greatly depending on the type of aircraft to which an NFO is assigned.

Four F/A-18 E/F Super Hornets assigned to the Black Aces of Strike Fighter Squadron Forty One (VFA-41) fly over the Western Pacific Ocean in a stack formation. ... An F/A-18 taking off from USS Kitty Hawk The Boeing (formerly McDonnell Douglas) F/A-18 Hornet is a modern all-weather carrier-capable strike fighter jet, designed to attack both ground and aerial targets. ... The EA-6 Prowler is the United States Navys and the United States Marine Corpss primary electronic warfare aircraft. ... The Boeing E-6 Mercury is a United States of America military aircraft. ... The Grumman E-2 Hawkeye is the United States Navys all-weather, aircraft carrier-based tactical warning and control system aircraft. ... The Lockheed EP-3E Orion Aries II is a turboprop-based signals reconnaissance aircraft, operated by the United States Navy. ... The Lockheed P-3 Orion is a maritime patrol aircraft of the United States military used primarily for maritime patrol, reconnaissance, and anti-submarine warfare. ... A navigator is the person onboard a ship responsible for the navigation of the vessel. ... Tacco is the military abbreviation for Tactical Coordinator and is the aircrew member responsible for coordinating the activities of the part of the crew responsible for the tactical operation of the aircraft and its systems. ...

Past Aircraft

NFOs also flew planes that have become decommissioned:

• A-6 Intruder serving as Bombardier/Navigator (B/N)
• F-14 Tomcat serving as Radar Intercept Officer (RIO)
• S-3 Viking serving as Copilot/Tactical Coordinator (COTAC) and Tactical Coordinator (TACCO)
• RA-5 and A-5 Vigilante serving as Reconnaissance/Attack Navigator (RAN)
• A-3 Skywarrior serving as Gunner/Navigator