Naval Air Station Fallon or NAS Fallon is the
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
's premier air-to-air and air-to-ground training facility. It is located southeast of the city of
Fallon, east of
Reno
Reno ( ) is a city in the northwest section of the U.S. state of Nevada, along the Nevada-California border, about north from Lake Tahoe, known as "The Biggest Little City in the World". Known for its casino and tourism industry, Reno is the ...
in western
Nevada
Nevada ( ; ) is a state in the Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. Nevada is the 7th-most extensive, ...
. Since 1996, it has been home to the
U.S. Navy-Fighter Weapons School (TOPGUN) taking over from the former
NAS Miramar
Marine Corps Air Station Miramar (MCAS Miramar) , formerly Naval Auxiliary Air Station (NAAS) Miramar and Naval Air Station (NAS) Miramar, is a United States Marine Corps installation that is home to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, which is the avi ...
in California, and the surrounding area contains of bombing and
electronic warfare
Electronic warfare (EW) is any action involving the use of the electromagnetic spectrum (EM spectrum) or directed energy to control the spectrum, attack an enemy, or impede enemy assaults. The purpose of electronic warfare is to deny the opponen ...
ranges. It is also home to the
Naval Aviation Warfighting Development Center
The Naval Aviation Warfighting Development Center (NAWDC, pronounced NAW-DIK) was formerly known as the Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center (NSAWC, pronounced "EN-SOCK") at Naval Air Station Fallon located in the city of Fallon in western Neva ...
(NAWDC), which includes TOPGUN, the Carrier Airborne Early Warning Weapons School (CAEWWS) and the Navy Rotary Wing Weapons School.
Navy SEAL
The United States Navy Sea, Air, and Land (SEAL) Teams, commonly known as Navy SEALs, are the U.S. Navy's primary special operations force and a component of the Naval Special Warfare Command. Among the SEALs' main functions are conducting s ...
Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) training also takes place there.
The airfield is named Van Voorhis Field in honor of Commander
Bruce Van Voorhis
Bruce Avery Van Voorhis (January 29, 1908 – July 6, 1943) was a United States Navy aviator who was shot down in the Pacific theater during World War II. For his action on July 6, 1943, he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.
Biography ...
(1908–1943) who was awarded a posthumous
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valo ...
.
History
The
airfield
An aerodrome ( Commonwealth English) or airdrome (American English) is a location from which aircraft flight operations take place, regardless of whether they involve air cargo, passengers, or neither, and regardless of whether it is for pub ...
at NAS Fallon was originally built in 1942 as part of a defensive network to repel a feared
Japanese invasion of the west coast. It was soon taken over by the Navy for training use and has been used as such ever since with the exception of the period of 1946 to 1951, during which it was used by the
Bureau of Indian Affairs. During the years prior to 1972, the base was known as Naval Auxiliary Air Station and was heavily used during the Vietnam War by various squadrons that rotated through the base before deploying to carriers headed for Vietnam. During these same years prior to 1972, many ground troops were temporarily assigned to NAAS Fallon for their hot weather training (during the summer months) and cold weather training (during the winter months). On 1 January 1972, the Navy recognized NAS Fallon's importance to naval aviation by upgrading the base from auxiliary air station status to a major aviation command as a full-fledged
naval air station. While NAS Fallon provides training for visiting
carrier air wing
A carrier air wing (abbreviated CVW) is an operational naval aviation organization composed of several aircraft squadrons and detachments of various types of fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft. Organized, equipped and trained to conduct mo ...
s, Strike Fighter Squadron 127 (
VFA-127
VFA-127, nicknamed the ''Royal Blues'' from the 1960s to 1980, and the ''Cyclons'' from 1981 onward, was a Strike Fighter Squadron of the U.S. Navy. Established as an Attack Squadron designated VA-127 on 15 June 1962 at NAS Lemoore, California, it ...
), the "Desert Bogeys", was the air station's only permanently based squadron from October 1987 until it was disestablished on 23 March 1996.
The NAS Fallon was featured in the 1986 action blockbuster movie ''
Top Gun'', starring
Tom Cruise
Thomas Cruise Mapother IV (born July 3, 1962), known professionally as Tom Cruise, is an American actor and producer. One of the world's highest-paid actors, he has received various accolades, including an Honorary Palme d'Or and three Go ...
, with scenes of aerial dogfighting.
The Navy relocated its
Navy Fighter Weapons School
The United States Navy Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor program (SFTI program), more popularly known as Top Gun (stylized as TOPGUN), teaches fighter and strike tactics and techniques to selected naval aviators and naval flight officers, wh ...
, or TOPGUN, from
NAS Miramar
Marine Corps Air Station Miramar (MCAS Miramar) , formerly Naval Auxiliary Air Station (NAAS) Miramar and Naval Air Station (NAS) Miramar, is a United States Marine Corps installation that is home to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, which is the avi ...
to NAS Fallon in 1996, following the transfer of NAS Miramar to the
Marine Corps
Marines, or naval infantry, are typically a military force trained to operate in littoral zones in support of naval operations. Historically, tasks undertaken by marines have included helping maintain discipline and order aboard the ship (refl ...
and its redesignation as
MCAS Miramar
Marine Corps Air Station Miramar (MCAS Miramar) , formerly Naval Auxiliary Air Station (NAAS) Miramar and Naval Air Station (NAS) Miramar, is a United States Marine Corps installation that is home to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, which is the avi ...
. This move resulted in the construction of a new ramp, hangars and academic buildings. The new command, the
Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center
The Naval Aviation Warfighting Development Center (NAWDC, pronounced NAW-DIK) was formerly known as the Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center (NSAWC, pronounced "EN-SOCK") at Naval Air Station Fallon located in the city of Fallon in western Neva ...
(NSAWC), was established on 11 July 1996 and was a unification of TOPGUN, Strike University (Strike U), the Naval Strike Warfare Center, and TOPDOME, the Carrier Airborne Early Warning Weapons School. In addition to transferring the NSAWC squadron, a
Navy Reserve adversary squadron, Fighter Squadron Composite THIRTEEN (
VFC-13
Fighter Squadron Composite (VFC-13) ''Fighting Saints'' is a US Navy fighter squadron that provides adversary training for U.S. Navy air wings at NAS Fallon, Nevada. VFC-13 uses "Bogey" as its main radio callsign.
Mission
VFC-13 provides adv ...
), the "Saints," was also permanently relocated from its former base at NAS Miramar to NAS Fallon. As a result,
VFC-13
Fighter Squadron Composite (VFC-13) ''Fighting Saints'' is a US Navy fighter squadron that provides adversary training for U.S. Navy air wings at NAS Fallon, Nevada. VFC-13 uses "Bogey" as its main radio callsign.
Mission
VFC-13 provides adv ...
replaced the disestablished VFA-127 in the fighter adversary role.
Associated bombing ranges checker the surrounding
Lahontan Valley
The Lahontan Valley is a basin in Churchill County, Nevada, United States. The valley is a landform of the central portion of the prehistoric Lake Lahontan's lakebed of 20,000-9,000 years ago. The valley and the adjacent Carson Sink represent a ...
and
Dixie Valley, which is the next valley to the east. Dixie Valley also contains a simulated air defense network, including approximately 20 operational
radar
Radar is a detection system that uses radio waves to determine the distance ('' ranging''), angle, and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, we ...
installations. Many demilitarized
armored vehicle
Military vehicles are commonly armoured (or armored; see spelling differences) to withstand the impact of shrapnel, bullets, shells, rockets, and missiles, protecting the personnel inside from enemy fire. Such vehicles include armoured ...
s, including some exotics, have been scattered throughout the area, presumably for ambiance. Most of this area is publicly accessible, with the exception of areas immediately surrounding the radar installations. The entire training area surrounding NAS Fallon is known as the
Fallon Range Training Complex
The Fallon Range Training Complex (FRTC) is a United States Navy military area with four separate training ranges lusan integrated air defense system consisting of thirty-seven real or simulated radars throughout the Dixie Valley area of Nevad ...
(FRTC).
USAF Radar Station
Between 1956 and 1975, the
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Aerial warfare, air military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part ...
Air Defense Command (ADC) operated a General Surveillance Radar station at NAS Fallon. The Air Force area was named Fallon Air Force Station
[Cornett & Johnson, p. 171] (AFS) and designated ADC site SM-156 (later NORAD site Z-156). The
858th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron moved to Fallon AFS from
Hamilton Air Force Base Hamilton may refer to:
People
* Hamilton (name), a common British surname and occasional given name, usually of Scottish origin, including a list of persons with the surname
** The Duke of Hamilton, the premier peer of Scotland
** Lord Hamilt ...
(AFB), California
[ in the south central section of NAS Fallon in 1956. It initially activated AN/MPS-7 search and AN/MPS-14 height-finder radar sets, and initially the station functioned as a ]Ground Control Intercept
Ground may refer to:
Geology
* Land, the surface of the Earth not covered by water
* Soil, a mixture of clay, sand and organic matter present on the surface of the Earth
Electricity
* Ground (electricity), the reference point in an electrical c ...
(GCI) and warning station. As a GCI station, the squadron
Squadron may refer to:
* Squadron (army), a military unit of cavalry, tanks, or equivalent subdivided into troops or tank companies
* Squadron (aviation), a military unit that consists of three or four flights with a total of 12 to 24 aircraft, ...
's role was to guide interceptor aircraft
An interceptor aircraft, or simply interceptor, is a type of fighter aircraft designed specifically for the defensive interception role against an attacking enemy aircraft, particularly bombers and reconnaissance aircraft. Aircraft that are c ...
toward unidentified intruders picked up on the unit's radar
Radar is a detection system that uses radio waves to determine the distance ('' ranging''), angle, and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, we ...
scopes. An AN/FPS-3
The AN/FPS-20 was a widely used L band early warning and ground-controlled interception radar system employed by the United States Air Force Air Defense Command, the NORAD Pinetree Line in Canada, the USAF CONAD in the continental United States ...
search set briefly saw service in 1959.
During 1962 Fallon AFS joined the Semi Automatic Ground Environment
The Semi-Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) was a system of large computers and associated networking equipment that coordinated data from many radar sites and processed it to produce a single unified image of the airspace over a wide area. SA ...
(SAGE) system, initially feeding data to DC-16 at Stead AFB, Nevada. After joining, the squadron was redesignated as the 858th Radar Squadron (SAGE) on 1 December 1962.[ The radar squadron provided information 24/7 the SAGE Direction Center where it was analyzed to determine range, direction altitude speed and whether or not aircraft were friendly or hostile. Also in this time frame, the radar site was relocated from the original location in the south central part of the Naval Air Station grounds to the far southwest corner. At the new SAGE radar site, the squadron used an AN/FPS-35 search radar that replaced the AN/MPS-7 set in 1963. In 1964 an ]AN/FPS-6
The AN/FPS-6 Radar was a long-range height finding radar used by the United States Air Force's Air Defense Command. The AN/FPS-6 radar was introduced into service in the late 1950s and served as the principal height-finder radar for the United Stat ...
height-finder radar was added.
In addition to the main facility at NAS Fallon, the squadron also operated a remote AN/FPS-14
The AN/FPS-14 was a medium-range search Radar used by the United States Air Force Air Defense Command.
This medium-range search radar was designed and built by Bendix as a SAGE system gap-filler radar to provide low-altitude coverage. Operating i ...
Gap Filler site:
* Gabbs, NV (SM-156A):
Around 1965, Fallon became an FAA
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the largest transportation agency of the U.S. government and regulates all aspects of civil aviation in the country as well as over surrounding international waters. Its powers include air traffic m ...
/ADC joint-use facility. The AN/MPS-14 radar was retired in 1969. In the early 1970s, the AN/FPS-35 was replaced with an AN/FPS-66
The AN/FPS-20 was a widely used L band early warning and ground-controlled interception radar system employed by the United States Air Force Air Defense Command, the NORAD Pinetree Line in Canada, the USAF CONAD in the continental United States, ...
A.
Over the years, the equipment at the station was upgraded or modified to improve the efficiency and accuracy of the information gathered by the radars. The 858th Radar Sq was inactivated and replaced by the 858th Air Defense Group in March 1970.[Cornett & Johnson. p.86] The upgrade to group
A group is a number of persons or things that are located, gathered, or classed together.
Groups of people
* Cultural group, a group whose members share the same cultural identity
* Ethnic group, a group whose members share the same ethnic ide ...
status was done because of Fallon AFS' status as a Backup Interceptor Control Backup Interceptor Control (BUIC, ) was the Electronic Systems Division 416M System to backup the SAGE 416L System in the United States and Canada. BUIC deployed Cold War command, control, and coordination systems to SAGE radar stations to create ...
(BUIC) master control center site. BUIC sites were alternate control sites in the event that SAGE Direction Centers became disabled and unable to control interceptor aircraft. The group was inactivated and replaced by the 858th Radar Squadron.[ as defenses against manned bombers were reduced only to be inactivated in June 1975.][ The group was disbanded in 1984. The FAA retained the AN/FPS-66A search radar, still in-use today and is networked into the ]Joint Surveillance System
The Joint Surveillance System (JSS) is a joint United States Air Force and Federal Aviation Administration system for the atmospheric air defense of North America. It replaced the Semi Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) system in 1983.
Overvie ...
(JSS); the radar tower still is painted with red-and-white checkerboard.
Museum
The navy maintains the Naval Air Station Fallon Air Park museum on the base.
Search and rescue team
Since 1972 the base has had its own search and rescue team. Originally named Desert Angels and later renamed Longhorns, the team's mission was to provide SAR support for visiting Carrier Air Groups and other NAS Fallon tenant commands. The Longhorns flew the Bell UH-1N from 1972 to 2009 and the Sikorsky SH-60F from 2009 to 2011. The team flew the Sikorsky MH-60S. The Longhorns frequently supported civilian search, rescue and medical evacuation efforts in conjunction with local law enforcement, medical and search and rescue agencies. The unit was disbanded during February 2022 with the aircraft being transferred to the NAWDC at Fallon.
Gallery
File:Naval Air Station Fallon TDY 141113-Z-WT236-030.jpg, A 157th Fighter Squadron F-16 Fighting Falcon prepares for a mission, November 2014.
File:Naval Air Station Fallon TDY 141112-Z-WT236-013.jpg, A 157th Fighter Squadron F-16 Fighting Falcon takes off, November 2014.
File:SAR MH-60S at Naval Air Station Fallon in May 2015.JPG, A U.S. Navy Sikorsky MH-60S ''Sea Hawk'' helicopter (BuNo 165769) attached to the "Longhorns"
See also
* List of United States Navy airfields
This is a list of airfields operated by the United States Navy which are located within the United States and abroad. The US Navy's main airfields are designated as Naval Air Stations or Naval Air Facilities, with Naval Outlying Landing Fields (NO ...
References
Notes
Bibliography
*
*
*
Further reading
* (USAF Radar site)
* STRIKE: U.S. Naval Strike Warfare Center (Presidio Press, ) by John Joss, photography by George Hall.
External links
*
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* {{HABS , survey=NV-33-C , id=nv0324 , title=Naval Air Station Fallon, Fuel Tanks, 800 Complex , photos=10 , data=7 , cap=1 , link=no
Fallon
Airports in Nevada
Buildings and structures in Churchill County, Nevada
Military installations in Nevada
Airports established in 1944
Historic American Buildings Survey in Nevada
1944 establishments in Nevada