09/24/2026
Did you know???
MCAS MiramarCA used to be the home of Top Gun
The real U.S. Navy Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor (TOPGUN) program moved from NAS Miramar, California, to Naval Air Station (NAS) Fallon, Nevada, in 1996, and has been based there ever since.
Why and when the move happened
When the 1986 Top Gun film was made, TOPGUN was still headquartered at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego
In 1996, after Miramar transitioned to a Marine Corps 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing Air Station, the Navy relocated the program to NAS Fallon, east of the town of Fallon in western Nevada
The move also merged TOPGUN with the Naval Aviation Warfighting Development Center (NAWDC), making Fallon the Navy’s center of excellence for aviation training and tactics development
What NAS Fallon, also known as Van Voorhis Field, is the U.S. Navy’s premier air‑to‑air and air‑to‑ground training facility.
Film connections
While Top Gun (1986) was primarily filmed in San Diego, much of its aerial dogfight footage was shot over NAS Fallon’s test ranges in 1985
The control tower seen in the film is at Fallon, and the movie’s real‑life aviation scenes were filmed there.
Fighter Squadron Composite Thirteen (VFC‑13) – also known as the "Fighting Saints", is a fighter squadron of the United States Navy Reserve that provides adversary training at NAS Fallon, Nevada. VFC-13 uses "Bogey" as its main radio callsign. VFC-13 "Saint Adversary"
December 2022 the squadron transitioned to the F-16C
(VP-9) Golden Eagles is a U.S. Navy patrol squadron with its homeport located at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island. Golden Eagles
VFA-115) is a United States Navy F-35C Lightning II strike fighter squadron stationed at Naval Air Station Lemoore.
Its tail code is "NA" and its radio call sign is "Talon" Strike Fighter Squadron 115 - VFA-115
VFA-37 also known as the "Ragin' Bulls", is a United States Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet fighter squadron stationed at Naval Air Station Oceana.
Naval Air Station Oceana
VMFA-225 is a United States Marine Corps fighter attack squadron flying the F-35B Lightning II. The squadron, known as the "Vikings", is based at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma in Arizona MCAS Yuma
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