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EspañolNAVAL FLIGHT OFFICER
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 their training, they receive their wings of gold insignia of a Naval Flight Officer. NFO is the Navy acronym for these aviators. NFOs are not pilots (''Naval Aviators'' in Navy parlance). Equivalent duty titles in the United States Air Force include Navigator, Weapons Systems Officer, and Electronic Warfare Officer.
Like Naval Aviators, NFOs attend Aviation Preflight Indoctrination at NAS Pensacola, Florida and are initially in same classes with Naval Aviator candidates. After completion, they are sent into a dedicated NFO "pipeline" and They 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.
★ 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 readiness squadrons after completion of Flight School and awarding of their wings, which also holds true for land-based aircraft. The exception is the NFO candidates who request or are selected for the E-2 Hawkeye community and are transferred to Norfolk for advanced training at the E-2C Hawkeye Fleet Readiness Squadron (FRS), VAW-120, located at NAS Norfolk, VA. VAW-120 actually awards these NFOs their wings at the FRS during their training syllabus.
★ Intermediate training for land-based aircraft typically sends student NFO's to San Antonio, TX for joint training at Randolph AFB before being sent to the FRS for the E-6 Mercury TACAMO, 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.
★ 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-3C Orion and the soon to be retired S-3 Viking serving as Copilot/Tactical Coordinator (COTAC) and Tactical Coordinator (TACCO)
★ In larger aircraft, like the P-3C, the NFO is designated as the navigator or 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.
NFOs have equal opportunity for command of squadrons as their Naval Aviator counterparts as well as follow-on commands (including aircraft carriers) and higher rank. The highest ranking NFO is currently Admiral William Fallon, Commander of the Central Command (CENTCOM).
NFOs also flew in these retired aircraft:
★ A-6 Intruder serving as Bombardier/Navigator (B/N)
★ F-14 Tomcat serving as Radar Intercept Officer (RIO)
★ RA-5 and A-5 Vigilante serving as Reconnaissance/Attack Navigator (RAN)
★ A-3 Skywarrior serving as Gunner/Navigator
★ P2V "Neptune" serving as Tactical Coordinator
★ F-4 Phantom serving as Radar Intercept Officer (RIO)
★ One of key characters in the popular movie Top Gun was "Goose", played by Anthony Edwards, a Radar Intercept Officer (NFO) teamed with Tom Cruise.
★ In the movie Flight of the Intruder, Willem Dafoe played LCDR Tiger Cole, who served as B/N (Bombardier/Navigator) with Jake "Cool hand" Grafton.
★ And also in the movie Behind enemy lines.
Naval Flight Officers (NFO's) are the men and women who operate the advanced systems on board naval aircraft, and some may also act as the overall tactical coordinators of multiple air assets during a mission.
They differ from Naval Aviators in that they never pilot the aircraft in which they serve. Naval Aircraft do not contain dual-flight controls, and in the unlikely event that the pilot may become incapacitated, the crew is to bail out if possible as NFOs are not qualified to fly the aircraft.
An infrequent remark by people not associated with Naval Aviation is that NFO's are "non flying officers", a negative moniker (not heard often in the actual naval aviation community) which is due to outsiders viewing them as aircrew that don't pilot their aircraft. The NFO career path is often labeled as "no future occupation" since (unlike naval aviators) NFOs are unable to translate their skills to the commercial airlines. Same thing ocurrs when pilot is called "bus driver" or it´s said "each NFO has its own chauffeur".
In reality NFOs serve critically as navigators, tacticians, weapon systems operators, bombardiers, flight technicians, and engineers. Many NFO's achieve flight lead and mission lead, even when the pilot of the aircraft does not have that designation.
Most derogatory remarks about NFO's were in the late 1960's and 1970's when single seat aircraft started to give way to dual crewed tactical jets [i.e. F-8 Crusader transitioning to F-14 Tomcat]. Many single seat aviators felt they could do the job themselves, and didn't need the assistance. After flying with NFO's, they learned that two brains and four eyeballs definitely helped complete the mission, and the remarks went away.
NFO's have risen to extremely high ranks. The first NFO flag officer in was selected in 1980. NFO's have commanded not only squadrons, airwings, airbases, but also aircraft carriers, and fleets. More recently Admiral William Fallon was appointed by president George W. Bush to lead the Central Command [CentCom] tasked with the war in Southwest Asia [Iraq and Afghanistan]
The warfare designation insignia of a Naval Flight Officer (NFO)
| Contents |
| Indoctrination |
| Training |
| The Fleet |
| Past Aircraft |
| Appearance in movies |
| Naval Aviator vs Naval Flight Officer |
Indoctrination
Like Naval Aviators, NFOs attend Aviation Preflight Indoctrination at NAS Pensacola, Florida and are initially in same classes with Naval Aviator candidates. After completion, they are sent into a dedicated NFO "pipeline" and They 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.
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 readiness squadrons after completion of Flight School and awarding of their wings, which also holds true for land-based aircraft. The exception is the NFO candidates who request or are selected for the E-2 Hawkeye community and are transferred to Norfolk for advanced training at the E-2C Hawkeye Fleet Readiness Squadron (FRS), VAW-120, located at NAS Norfolk, VA. VAW-120 actually awards these NFOs their wings at the FRS during their training syllabus.
★ Intermediate training for land-based aircraft typically sends student NFO's to San Antonio, TX for joint training at Randolph AFB before being sent to the FRS for the E-6 Mercury TACAMO, 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 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-3C Orion and the soon to be retired S-3 Viking serving as Copilot/Tactical Coordinator (COTAC) and Tactical Coordinator (TACCO)
★ In larger aircraft, like the P-3C, the NFO is designated as the navigator or 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.
NFOs have equal opportunity for command of squadrons as their Naval Aviator counterparts as well as follow-on commands (including aircraft carriers) and higher rank. The highest ranking NFO is currently Admiral William Fallon, Commander of the Central Command (CENTCOM).
Past Aircraft
NFOs also flew in these retired aircraft:
★ A-6 Intruder serving as Bombardier/Navigator (B/N)
★ F-14 Tomcat serving as Radar Intercept Officer (RIO)
★ RA-5 and A-5 Vigilante serving as Reconnaissance/Attack Navigator (RAN)
★ A-3 Skywarrior serving as Gunner/Navigator
★ P2V "Neptune" serving as Tactical Coordinator
★ F-4 Phantom serving as Radar Intercept Officer (RIO)
Appearance in movies
★ One of key characters in the popular movie Top Gun was "Goose", played by Anthony Edwards, a Radar Intercept Officer (NFO) teamed with Tom Cruise.
★ In the movie Flight of the Intruder, Willem Dafoe played LCDR Tiger Cole, who served as B/N (Bombardier/Navigator) with Jake "Cool hand" Grafton.
★ And also in the movie Behind enemy lines.
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.
Naval Aviator vs Naval Flight Officer
Naval Flight Officers (NFO's) are the men and women who operate the advanced systems on board naval aircraft, and some may also act as the overall tactical coordinators of multiple air assets during a mission.
They differ from Naval Aviators in that they never pilot the aircraft in which they serve. Naval Aircraft do not contain dual-flight controls, and in the unlikely event that the pilot may become incapacitated, the crew is to bail out if possible as NFOs are not qualified to fly the aircraft.
An infrequent remark by people not associated with Naval Aviation is that NFO's are "non flying officers", a negative moniker (not heard often in the actual naval aviation community) which is due to outsiders viewing them as aircrew that don't pilot their aircraft. The NFO career path is often labeled as "no future occupation" since (unlike naval aviators) NFOs are unable to translate their skills to the commercial airlines. Same thing ocurrs when pilot is called "bus driver" or it´s said "each NFO has its own chauffeur".
In reality NFOs serve critically as navigators, tacticians, weapon systems operators, bombardiers, flight technicians, and engineers. Many NFO's achieve flight lead and mission lead, even when the pilot of the aircraft does not have that designation.
Most derogatory remarks about NFO's were in the late 1960's and 1970's when single seat aircraft started to give way to dual crewed tactical jets [i.e. F-8 Crusader transitioning to F-14 Tomcat]. Many single seat aviators felt they could do the job themselves, and didn't need the assistance. After flying with NFO's, they learned that two brains and four eyeballs definitely helped complete the mission, and the remarks went away.
NFO's have risen to extremely high ranks. The first NFO flag officer in was selected in 1980. NFO's have commanded not only squadrons, airwings, airbases, but also aircraft carriers, and fleets. More recently Admiral William Fallon was appointed by president George W. Bush to lead the Central Command [CentCom] tasked with the war in Southwest Asia [Iraq and Afghanistan]
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