They're so much more. TOPGUN is known to the fleet as the Navy Fighter Weapons School, where its mission statement is simple: win in combat. It was founded during the Vietnam War after naval aviators were sustaining high levels of casualties despite superior aircraft and weapons technology.

Yes, the "TOPGUN" school is very real, though its official name is the United States Navy Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor (SFTI) program. Originally established at NAS Miramar in 1969, it is now located at the Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center at NAS Fallon in Nevada. The school was created during the Vietnam War to improve the air combat maneuvering skills of Navy pilots. It is not a traditional "school" with a campus, but rather an elite, intensive course for the top-tier pilots and radar intercept officers in the fleet. Those who graduate often return to their home squadrons as training officers to pass on the advanced tactics they learned. While the movies add Hollywood flair, the rigorous training, focus on "dogfighting," and the prestigious reputation of the instructors are based on the actual operations of the Navy's most elite fighter program.