The Naval Aviation Warfighting Development Center (NAWDC, pronounced NAW-DIK) was formerly known as the Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center (NSAWC, pronounced "EN-SOCK") at Naval Air Station Fallon located in the city of Fallon in western Nevada. It is the center of excellence for naval aviation training and tactics development. NAWDC provides service to aircrews, squadrons and air wings throughout the United States Navy through flight training, academic instructional classes, and direct operational and intelligence support. The name was changed from NSAWC to NAWDC to align with the naming convention of the Navy's other Warfare Development Centers (including Naval Surface and Mine Warfare Development Center SMWDC and the Undersea Warfare Development Center UWDC
NSAWC (now NAWDC) consolidated three commands into a single command structure under a flag officer on 11 July 1996 to enhance aviation training effectiveness. The Naval Strike Warfare Center (STRIKE "U") based at NAS Fallon since 1984, was joined with the Navy Fighter Weapons School (TOPGUN) and the Carrier Airborne Early Warning Weapons School (TOPDOME) which both moved from NAS Miramar as a result of a Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) decision in 1993 which transferred that installation back to the Marine Corps as MCAS Miramar. The Seahawk Weapon School was added in 1998 to provide tactical training for Navy SH-60 / HH-60 / MH-60 series helicopters and the Airborne Electronic Attack Weapons School (HAVOC) for the EA-18G aircraft was added in 2014, augmenting the legacy Electronic Attack Weapons School (EAWS) for the EA-6B and EA-18G at NAS Whidbey Island, WA.
NAWDC is the primary authority on training and tactics development. NAWDC provides training, assessment, aviation requirements recommendations, research and development priorities for integrated strike warfare, maritime and overland air superiority, strike fighter employment, airborne battle management, Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR), Close Air Support (CAS), and associated planning support systems. The command is also responsible for the development, implementation, and administration of several courses of instruction while functioning as the Navy point of contact for all issues relating to the Air Combat Training Continuum. Additionally, NAWDC is the Navy point of contact for all issues related to the Fallon Range Training Complex (FRTC).