Whether it concerns flying from an aircraft carrier or landing on the moon, NAF El Centro is proud of it's past accomplishments, its extending mission today, and its important role in the future. Naval Air Facility El Centro was commissioned on May 1st 1946, as a Naval Air Station. Before this, the base was a Marine Corps Air Station.

Through the years, Navy El Centro had several names: Naval Air Facility, Naval Auxiliary Landing Field, Naval Air Station, and the National Parachute Test Range. For the first 35 years, the Navy in El Centro has devoted much of its time toward aeronautical escape system testing, evaluation, and design.

In November 1947, the Parachute Experimental Division from Lakehurst, New Jersey moved to El Centro.

In 1951, the Joint Parachute Facility was established and consisted of the Naval Parachute Unit and the Air Force 6511th Test Group (Parachute). The Air Force remained part of El Centro's test organization for the next 27 years.

In 1959, an ejection seat designed for pilot escape from a high-speed jet at altitudes fewer than 1,000 feet was successfully tested here. That group also tested the parachute system that the Mercury Space Program used for the first U.S. manned satellites, and later for the Apollo re-entry system.

In 1964, the US Naval Aerospace Recovery Facility was designated and on July 1, 1973, it was combined with the Naval Air Facility to form the National Parachute Test Range. Exactly six years later, the parachute test function was transferred to Naval Weapons Center China Lake and El Centro again became a Naval Air Facility.

Today, NAF El Centro, under the command of Commander, Navy Region Southwest, provides realistic training to aviation units and activities of the Navy's operating and training forces. Aviation squadrons visit NAF El Centro to practice gunnery, bombing, carrier landings and air combat. The facility has two operating runways. The 9,500-foot east/west runway handles 96% of the traffic. It is equipped with a Fresnel Lens Optical Landing System at each approach end as well as lighted carrier deck landing areas at both ends so pilots can simulate ship landings. Apart from "touch and go" landings and take-offs, aircrews utilize the many ranges at NAF El Centro to develop their skills. A remotely controlled target area allows naval aviators to practice ordnance delivery. The desert range is used for air-to-ground bombing, rocket firing, strafing, dummy drops and mobile land target training. The target complex uses the Weapons Impact Scoring System that microwaves imaging to a range master control building.

The addition of the Display and Debriefing Subsystem, known as the DDS, expanded the role of NAF El Centro to include air combat training utilizing remote television, acoustical and laser scoring systems. The DDS is linked with TACTS to provide a computerized record of the tactics individual aircrew's employ and to evaluate the effectiveness of each maneuver. Many believe the training at NAF El Centro is as close as pilots can get to actual air combat. Much of the Movie "Top Gun" was shot at NAF El Centro. Because if it's unique location, NAF El Centro is known to every naval aviator and plays a key role in their initial and continued training.

What makes the NAF so special is its combination of unique climate, vast unobstructed desert terrain, limited non-military air traffic and its own dedicated gunnery and bomb ranges. These factors make this an ideal environment for aerial combat maneuvering, air-to-air gunnery and bombing practice and electronic warfare training. Variable climatic conditions and population are limiting factors at the Navy's only other facilities with similar missions— Fallon, Nevada, and Key West, Florida. The result is that NAF El Centro is a very busy and much-in-demand air facility. For example, the number of flight operations (landings and takeoffs) exceeded 135,000 in 1993. Flight operations on a typical day reach over 450 between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m.

The NAF is the "winter home" of the Navy's famous Blue Angels. Starting early every January, the "Blues" conduct over two months of intensive flight operations prior to the start of their air show season. Until mid-March, the officers and enlisted personnel, who are specialists in all the aviation roles required to support the squadron's maintenance, administration and public affairs requirements, hone their skills as a cohesive unit.

NAF El Centro and its personnel have a role of providing essential support to the squadrons and units training here. This includes flight operations, logistics, billeting, messing, hangars, ramps, aircraft parking space, administration and supply transport. Every month, seven to twelve squadrons and from 150 to 1,600 personnel will train here. Additionally, US Air Force parachutists, US Navy SEALs, Army Green Berets, and British, French, German and Italian aviators visit for various phases of their training.