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WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT?
The U.S. Naval Test Pilot School (USNTPS) is the "RAG" for the test squadrons. Following the year-long course
at USNTPS, Navy and Marine graduates are assigned to a test squadron as follows:
Three of the test squadrons are at NAS Patuxent River and comprise the Naval Test Wing Atlantic:
- Force Warfare Aircraft
Test Squadron tests P-3, EP-3, E-2, C-2, S-3, E-6, C-130, T-34, JPATS and various commercial
derivative aircraft.
- Strike Aircraft Test Squadron tests
F/A-18, F-14, JSF, EA-6, and UAV aircraft.
- Rotary Wing Aircraft Test Squadron tests all helicopters as well as the V-22.
TACAIR pilots/NFO's and, occasionally, Marine helicopter pilots may also be assigned to the Naval Test Wing Pacific, which performs weapons test and weapons systems test at two test squadrons:
- Naval Weapons Test Squadron China Lake, CA (flying F/A-18, AV-8, AH-1, HH-1, and T-39 testbed)
- Naval Weapons Test Squadron Point Mugu, CA (flying F-14, QF-4, P-3)
Graduates may also be assigned to operational test squadrons, VX-1 at Patuxent River (Helos, P-3, S-3) or
VX-9 at China Lake and Point Mugu (VX-9 tests F/A-18, F-14, AV-8, EA-6B, and AH-1 aircraft). U.S. Army, USAF, and foreign graduates return to their parent service/country for assignment to a test squadron.
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