United States Air Force Pilots vs. United States Navy Pilots

Question

Hi, i was wondering the difference in duties of the air force and the navy's pilots, specifically fighters. A little help please.

Answer 1

The only significant difference is 600 feet of runway vs. 6,000 feet.

Answer 2

The difference as you have aleady seen by comments made is primarily where they land.  a dot in the Ocean that's Bobbing up and down, and rocking back and forth US Navy, or a flat long stable well lit runway.  GO Navy

Answer 3

Navy and Marine pilots have to do carrier landings.

Answer 4

Rekondog has it correct as does the person who posted right before him. However - in some instances where the AF can't support ground forces (Army) the USN pilots will.  It's a coordinated support that's why they pay all the top brass all the big bucks.

Also having more F16's doesn't always equate to much - some people go for quality not quantity. The Russians go for quantity on their ships, subs, aircraft and missiles - the US always went for quality.

Some USAF pilots have landed on carriers (EA6B Prowler pilots) but most don't and landing on a carrier scares the pants off of them. I can rest assure you that if you can land on a carrier you can land on ANY airfield.

Also for the record - until the F22 entered service the Navy had the only US Air Superiority Fighter >> F14D Tomcat (retired) not the F15 or F16.

The F22 rules and the rest of us are waiting for the F35 JSF.

Answer 5

None,

They both carry out the same missions.

Air Superiority, close air support and bombing missions.

The only real difference is that some of the time, ( not all the time )

Navy fighters operate from Aircraft Carriers.

While Air Force fighters operate from land bases.

Plus the fact that the AF has about twice as many fighters as the Navy and Marine Corps combined.

The AF has more F-16's than the Navy and Marines have fighters,

Then you add the F-15's and F-22's.

Answer 6

Navy pilots job are to obtain and sustain air superiority over the sea, and close air support for the Marines in beach landings.  The Air Force is responsible for logistics and close air support for the soldiers on the ground, as well as air superiority over land.  Can't forget the Marines too!  Their job is to provide close air support for the Marines in their amphibious assault from sea to land and inward.

Navy lands on aircraft carries, Marines don't need the luxury.  We have to have VTOL aircrafts since the Marines role is to set-up advanced bases along the way.  Gotta have versatile air support for swift support for the Marines, because they gotta keep moving forward, beyond the means of the Naval support from sea, the Marines' habitat!

USAF are not trained enough to land on a runway no longer than a football field in the middle of the night, at sea!  Navy and Marine pilots have to be expeditionary just as the US Fleet and the Fleet Marine Force are destined!