TOPGUN Turns 50
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By U.S. Naval Institute Proceedings Magazine
September 02, 2019
An Engine of Innovation
We chose to dedicate a large section of this issue to celebrate the creation of the Navy Fighter Weapons School in 1969 and its successes over the past half century. But this is not a glorification of the Hollywood version of TOPGUN; rather it is an opportunity for current and former TOPGUN staff members to tell a story of innovation and overcoming challenges through hard work and dedication.
When Navy fighter aircraft failed to meet combat expectations in the skies over Vietnam from 1965 to 1968, an official inquiry (known as the Ault Report) recommended creating an advanced fighter weapons school at Naval Air Station Miramar in San Diego. A lieutenant commander and eight junior officers set up an office and classroom in an abandoned trailer, designed a course, and started teaching fighter aircrews to be aggressive, expert dog-fighters. Their impact was immediate and dramatic—by 1972 the Navy’s kill ratio against the Vietnam People’s Air Force had improved five-fold.
https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2019/09/02/topgun_turns_50_114710.html
