Starfleet StarFighter Tactics Instructor Program

== Starfleet StarFighter Tactics Instructor Program (SSFTI Program) ==
The Starfleet StarFighter Tactics Instructor Program, or TOP GUN as it is more popularly known as, is the modern day evolution of the old United States Navy Fighter Weapons School (NFWS), which was originally established on Earth Date March 3, 1969 at NAS Miramar in California on Earth, and then USN Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor Program (SFTI), which merged into the Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center at NAS Fallon in Nevada in Earth Year 1996. The program fell out of service sometime around 2030 during the rise of World War III on Earth with the program disappearing almost completely by the cession of hostilities in 2053.
The resurgance of TOP GUN came in the form of the SSFTI Program sometime in the early 2100s when humanity took to the stars and quickly realized that a space force or star fleet would inevitably lead armed conflict in space with another sentient race. With the creation of the United Earth Starfleet and Starfleet Academy, TOP GUN was also resurrected to take the best Human starship and shuttle pilots and train them to be better as well as to return to their postings to teach other helm officers in tactical starship combat. This program was then expanded in 2161 to allow all starship pilots, regardless of species, to attend with the signing of the Federation Charter. SSFTI was based back at Miramar, California in order to retain historical ties.
As Starfleet grew and starfighters were introduced as an alternative to armed shuttlepods, TOP GUN went back to its traditional program of just training fighter and shuttle pilots. Helm officers were no longer allowed in TOP GUN as Starfleet Academy started advanced training courses for them around the same time. Pilots in the Starfighter Corps are encouraged to attend TOP GUN in their assigned craft as it promotes confidence and esprit de corps in their operators.
==Courses==
Due to the vastness of the Federation, TOP GUN is held once every other year to allow Starfighters from abroad a chance to rotate to Earth in order to attend. It has since evolved into a form of "Pilot Olympics" where the top 1% of Starfleet's Pilots vie for the coveted trophy.
The course runs for about a month and pilots are put through the rigors of advanced aero warfare in multiple environments that the Sol System has to offer.
Category:Starfleet Training Facilities