In the USAF, we have “trainers,” we have “fighters” and we have “lifters”. . .no “strikers (though we do fly “strike packages”. . .you know, bunch of jets fly in a gorilla package to hit a major target.
Though. . .to keep it simple, we have two types of aircraft. . .fighters and targets. . .
Will keep you in mind.
Ref the picture. Cool jet, snappy thing. He will have the time of his life. . .as a student you are not supposed to have “air-sense” or “judgment” yet, so have at it. . . back when I was flying as a student in a T-38 over south Texas, in the MOA, got a call from ATC saying they have traffic in the area, type and altitude unknown. . .and would I mind checking it out? (ATC must have forgot I was a solo student pilot).
So, I found the little C-172 puttering along and I swooped down from his high 7 o’clock position and throttled back, speed brake out, flaps down, had everything hanging but the gear and the canopy open as I tried to slow to his speed. . .a speed we basically taxi at. . .anyway, I zipped by the guy—he was wearing a red ball-cap and white shirt, I was THAT close—and as I passed him, I hit the burner and did a climbing barrel roll up and away. Boy, those were fun days.
(Now I am a former A-10 fighter pilot and F-15E fighter pilot).
Great story!
Good thing that Cessna pilot didn’t get your buzz numbers.
;^)
My son had mentioned "strike jets" and there's also this from the Meridian NAS page
https://www.cnatra.navy.mil/tw1/index.asp
Training Wing ONE receives Student Naval Aviators upon completion of Primary Flight Training in the T-34C Turbomentor. Training Squadron SEVEN and Training Squadron NINE train Student Naval Aviators in the Boeing T-45C Goshawk, the Navy's most advanced strike jet trainer.