VT-9
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The VT-9 Tigers is one of four U.S. Navy strike jet training squadrons and one of two based at Naval Air Station Meridian in Mississippi (The other two being based at Naval Air Station Kingsville in Texas). U.S. Naval and Marine aviators are trained by the Tigers, along with aviators of the Spanish and Italian Navies. The current commanding officer of the squadron is Commander Todd Kiefer, call sign IKE, and the Executive Officer is LtCol Kochanski, call sign Bomber. LtCol Kochanski will be the first Marine to ever command a Navy jet training squadron when he becomes the commanding officer in 2007. The squadron flies the T-45C Goshawk, a derivative of the British BAE Hawk jet aircraft. The students are initially trained in basic aviation skills such as navigation and instrument flying and progress through formation flying, low-level navigation, bombing, air combat maneuvering, and normally complete the syllabus by performing a series of landings on an aircraft carrier. The students then move on to fly a fighter and/or attack jet in their respective service.
