Bandit Crew Cap - 6 Panel, high quality 100% cotton - Sandwich Brim - Velcro Adjustor - Fully embroidered with historically accurate aircraft markings and aircraft fuselage color - Limited Production - Designed by Sierra Hotel Aeronautics. An Aggressor or adversary squadron (in the US Navy and USMC) is a squadron trained to act as an opposing force in military war games. Aggressor squadrons use enemy tactics, techniques, and procedures to give a realistic simulation of air combat (as opposed to training against one's own forces). Since it is impractical to use actual enemy aircraft and equipment, surrogate aircraft to emulate potential adversaries. The first formal use of dissimilar aircraft for training was in 1968 by the Navy Fighter Weapon Training School (better known as "TOPGUN") US aggressor squadrons fly small and low-wing loaded fighters that are used to represent those of the potential adversaries. Originally A-4's in the USN and F-5s (US Navy, USMC, and USAF) were flown along with T-38 Talons that were immediately available and served as placeholders until new F-5E/F Tiger II aircraft were introduced. The Navy and Marine Corps briefly operated 2 squadrons of F-21 Kfir Adversaries at NAS Oceana (VF-43) and MCAS Yuma (VMFT-41). These were eventually supplemented by early-model F/A-18s (US Navy) and specially built F-16Ns (for the US Navy) and F-16A models (for the Air Force). At the end of 2005, the USAF started using the larger and faster F-15 Eagle as an aggressor aircraft alongside the F-16 at Nellis AFB. However, the USAF began phasing out its F-15 aggressors towards the end of 2014, with the deactivation of the 65th Aggressor Squadron, the F-16C is once again the only dedicated aggressor type at Nellis AFB. Drawing its inspiration from the famed Bad Guy MiG-28s from the movie Top Gun, USN Fighter Squadron Composite VFC-13 (radio callsign “Bogey”) which provides adversary training for US Navy air wings at NAS Fallon decided to paint some F-5 Tigers all-black just like the bandits Maverick and Goose took down. The USN operates three reserve adversary squadrons VFC-111, VFC-12, and VFC-13 and an additional USMC adversary squadron VMFA-401 operating F-5N and F/A-18s whose purpose is to provide Adversary support for fleet replacement squadrons, Carrier Air Wings, SFARP Strike Fighter Advanced Readiness Programs and Navy Special Warfare Training while also providing dissimilar air combat training with adversary threat presentation for Top Gun classes at NAS Fallon.
