Ensuring the Navy’s warfighters are prepared for underwater challenges, U.S. Navy Seabee Divers from Underwater Construction Team (UCT) 2’s Construction Dive Detachment (CDD) Charlie provided vital subsurface infrastructure maintenance for the Southern California Anti-Submarine Warfare Range (SOAR) in August 2025, ensuring the Navy’s ability to train and certify submarine and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) units.

Innovation at the Naval Aviation Warfare Center Aircraft Division Webster Outlying Field (NAWCAD WOLF) Air Traffic Control and Landing Systems (ATC&LS) division is saving time and money for the warfighter by providing organic sustainment services for the Navy’s primary Shipboard ATC air surveillance radar system, the AN/SPN-43C, in support of the Naval Air Traffic Management Systems Program Office (PMA-213).

The new AN/FPN-68 Precision Approach Radar at Naval Air Station Patuxent River is providing critical support to pilots and air traffic controllers, bringing reliable technology that delivers accurate data for safe aircraft landings even in adverse weather. 

The AN/FPN-68 was successfully installed and flight-checked last summer on Pax, marking the 23rd installation of this new radar system at various locations.

A collaborative effort between Navy commands has yielded a breakthrough in aircrew safety: a cutting-edge, 3D-printed Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS).

The Naval Aviation Training Systems and Ranges Program Office (PMA-205), Naval Education and Training Command (NETC), Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training (CNATT), and Commander, Naval Air Forces training and readiness (CNAF N7), are pioneering additive manufacturing techniques to support aircrew survival equipmentman rating training requirements.

The E-2D Advanced Hawkeye (AHE) achieved a breakthrough in global airpower this summer, successfully refueling mid-air from three French-made tankers – a historic first that dramatically extends the Advanced Hawkeye's reach and for seamless joint operations while providing unprecedented airborne surveillance capabilities.

The U.S. Navy awarded a $554 million indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract to Airborne Tactical Advantage Company (ATAC) in late July to provide naval aviators with training support services under the Fleet Fighter Jet Services.

In a powerful tribute to Marine Corps aviation history, Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 31 delivered two AV-8B Harrier II+ aircraft to aviation museums on the West Coast, in July and August, marking the end of their operational service and the beginning of their legacy as public exhibits.

Castle Air Museum

Hundreds gathered in Hangar 306 last week to celebrate Rear Adm. John Lemmon’s retirement Aug. 22, marking the culmination of a remarkable 37-year career that advanced naval aviation and left an enduring impact on the Navy and the nation.

From modernizing iconic aircraft to leading critical overseas operations, Lemmon’s career has been defined by innovation and leadership. He wasn’t just a leader; he was a pilot, a tester, and a visionary who shaped the future of naval air power.

The U.S. Navy’s F/A-18 and EA-18G aircraft fleet has surpassed 12 million flight hours, marking an important milestone for one of the most enduring families of aircraft in modern naval aviation. This achievement underscores the capability, reliability and availability of these aircraft, which have served as the backbone of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps air power for decades.  

Put into perspective, the aircraft have completed the equivalent of 500,000 days, or nearly 1,370 years, of nonstop flight defending national interests and ensuring global security.  

The roar of vertical takeoff may have quieted, but the legacy of U.S. Marine Corps aviation lives on at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, where a newly retired AV-8B Harrier II+ joined the base as a static display marking a powerful continuation of USMC air power and remembrance.