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Opening General Session and Military Jet Team Schedule Announcement

Tuesday, December 5th 2023 8:45 am - 10:15 am

Octavius 11-12

During the winter of 1969, U.S. Navy leadership recognized that a decision to de-emphasize dogfighting training and proficiency had contributed to high combat losses among Navy pilots in the early days of the Vietnam War. The Chief of Naval Operations directed his subordinates to identify and implement a solution to this problem within two months.

With no classroom space, no money, a seemingly impossible schedule and the lives of hundreds of shipmates on the line, a small group of young naval aviators created a new way for combat pilots to train, reversed the decline in air combat skills among Navy pilots, and created perhaps the most recognizable institution in all of combat aviation: Top Gun.

During this insightful and candid panel discussion with two of the naval aviators responsible for the creation of the Navy Fighter Weapons School, you’ll get a behind-the-scenes look at the real Top Gun: the concepts and goals on which the program was conceived and built, the commitment to the highest levels of professionalism that were the foundation for the Navy’s graduate school in fighter combat, the successes and the challenges of the school’s first several months, and the legacy of the work that they did at NAS Miramar more than half a century ago.

Immediately following the opening general session panel discussion, ICAS will release the 2024 performance schedules for the Canadian Forces Snowbirds, the U.S. Navy Blue Angels, the USAF Thunderbirds, the USAF ACC single ship demos (A-10, F-16, F-22 and F-35), the RCAF CF-18 Hornet demo, the USMC Osprey, Harrier and F-35 demos and the U.S. Army Golden Knights. In addition, the 2025 schedules for the U.S. Navy Blue Angels and USAF Thunderbirds will also be revealed.

Sponsored by: Commemorative Air Force