Strike Fighter Wing Atlantic
Encyclopedia
F/A-18 Hornet
The McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet is a supersonic, all-weather carrier-capable multirole fighter jet, designed to dogfight and attack ground targets . Designed by McDonnell Douglas and Northrop, the F/A-18 was derived from the latter's YF-17 in the 1970s for use by the United States Navy and...
and Super Hornet. The wing, based at NAS Oceana, is also home to the east coast F/A-18 Fleet Replacement Squadron
Fleet Replacement Squadron
A Fleet Replacement Squadron , is a unit of the United States Navy and Marine Corps that trains Naval Aviators and Naval Flight Officers on the specific front-line aircraft they have been assigned to fly...
(FRS) which trains pilots and Weapon Systems Officer
Weapon systems officer
A Weapon Systems Officer is an air Flight Officer directly involved in all air operations and weapon systems of the fighter in the United States Navy. A Weapon Systems Officer ("WSO", pronounced "wizzo") is an air Flight Officer directly involved in all air operations and weapon systems of the...
s (WSOs) in the Hornet and Super Hornet before they are assigned to operational fleet squadrons. The fleet squadrons deploy as part of Carrier Air Wing
Carrier air wing
A Carrier Air Wing is an operational naval aviation organization composed of several aircraft squadrons and detachments of various types of fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft...
s (CVWs) on aircraft carrier
Aircraft carrier
An aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power worldwide without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations...
s on both the east and west coasts.
History
The wing was established in 1970 as Commander, Light Attack Wing (CLAW) at NAS Cecil Field, Florida. With the introduction of the F/A-18 in the late 1980s, the command was redesigned as SFWL. As a result of the Base Realignment and ClosureBase Realignment and Closure
Base Realignment and Closure is a process of the United States federal government directed at the administration and operation of the Armed Forces, used by the United States Department of Defense and Congress to close excess military installations and realign the total asset inventory to reduce...
(BRAC) Commission decision to close NAS Cecil Field in 1999, the wing relocated to NAS Oceana, Virginia in 1998. In 2006, SFWL subsumed the staff of Commander, Fighter Wing Atlantic upon the retirement of the F-14 Tomcat
F-14 Tomcat
The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is a supersonic, twin-engine, two-seat, variable-sweep wing fighter aircraft. The Tomcat was developed for the United States Navy's Naval Fighter Experimental program following the collapse of the F-111B project...
and that wing's disestablishment.
Mission
Strike Fighter Wing's mission is to provide U.S. Atlantic Fleet commanders with combat-ready Strike Fighter squadrons which are fully trained, properly manned, well maintained and supported. The wing is responsible for the readiness, training, administration, and maintenance support of all Atlantic Fleet F/A-18A-F Hornet and Super Hornet squadrons. Although this basic responsibility extends throughout the deployment cycle of individual units, direct operational control of fleet squadrons is generally retained by Carrier Air Wing commanders, whether deployed or not. The Wing is also the lead advocate for issues, maintenance developments and operational readiness factors impacting the VFA community.Organization
SFWL is commanded Commander, Strike Fighter Wing Atlantic (CSFWL), a Navy captain, who is also known as the Wing "Commodore". The wing staff consists of approximately 50 officer, enlisted and civilian personnel. CSFWL reports directly to Commander, Naval Air Force U.S. Atlantic FleetCommander, Naval Air Force U.S. Atlantic Fleet
Commander, Naval Air Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet is the aviation Type Commander for the United States Atlantic Fleet naval aviation units...
in Norfolk, Va.
Assigned units
Strike Fighter Wing Atlantic exercises administrative and operational command over one Fleet Replacement SquadronFleet Replacement Squadron
A Fleet Replacement Squadron , is a unit of the United States Navy and Marine Corps that trains Naval Aviators and Naval Flight Officers on the specific front-line aircraft they have been assigned to fly...
(VFA-106) and administrative command over 17 operational fleet F/A-18 squadrons. 16 of these fleet squadrons are homeported at NAS Oceana and one (VFA-86) is stationed at MCAS Beaufort, SC.
Each Strike-Fighter squadron normally consists of 10-12 aircraft, 22 officers and approximately 190 enlisted personnel.
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- VFA-11VFA-11Strike Fighter Squadron 11 , also known as the "Red Rippers", are a United States Navy fighter squadron stationed at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia Beach, VA...
Red Rippers - VFA-15VFA-15The VFA-15, Strike Fighter Squadron 15 is a U.S. Navy strike fighter squadron based at NAS Oceana. Their call sign is Pride, tail code is AJ, and they fly the F-18 Hornet...
Valions - VFA-31 Tomcatters
- VFA-32VFA-32The "Fighting Swordsmen" of Strike Fighter Squadron THIRTY-TWO are a United States Navy strike fighter squadron presently flying the F/A-18F Super Hornet and based ashore at Naval Air Station Oceana...
Swordsmen - VFA-34VFA-34Strike Fighter Squadron 34 , also known as the "Blue Blasters", is a United States Navy F/A-18C Hornet strike fighter squadron stationed at Naval Air Station Oceana. They are a part of Carrier Air Wing 2 and are attached to the...
Blue Blasters - VFA-37VFA-37Strike Fighter Squadron 37 , also known as the "Ragin’ Bulls", are a United States Navy F/A-18C Hornet fighter squadron stationed at Naval Air Station Oceana. They are a part of Carrier Air Wing 3 and are attached to the...
Bulls - VFA-81VFA-81Strike Fighter Squadron 81 , also known as the "Sunliners", is a United States Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet strike fighter squadron stationed at Naval Air Station Oceana. They are a part of Carrier Air Wing Seventeen, their radio callsign is Zapper, and their tail code is AA...
Sunliners - VFA-83VFA-83Strike Fighter Squadron 83 , also known as the "Rampagers", are a United States Navy F/A-18C Hornet fighter squadron stationed at Naval Air Station Oceana...
Rampagers - VFA-86VFA-86Strike Fighter Squadron 86 is a United States Navy strike fighter squadron based at Naval Air Station Lemoore, California. Known as the Sidewinders, they fall under the command of Carrier Air Wing Eleven...
Sidewinders - VFA-87VFA-87The Strike Fighter Squadron 87 is a United States Navy strike fighter squadron based at Naval Air Station Oceana. Nicknamed the Golden Warriors, its call sign is War Party , its tail code is AJ, and it flies the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet...
Golden Warriors - VFA-103VFA-103Strike Fighter Squadron 103 , nicknamed the Jolly Rogers is an aviation unit of the United States Navy established in 1952. VFA-103 flies the F/A-18F Super Hornet and is based at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia...
Jolly Rogers - VFA-105VFA-105Strike Fighter Squadron 105 also known as the "Gunslingers" is a United States Navy strike fighter squadron based at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia. The "Gunslingers" are an operational fleet squadron and fly the F/A-18E Super Hornet...
Gunslingers - VFA-106VFA-106Strike Fighter Squadron 106 , also known as the "Gladiators," is a United States Navy F/A-18 Hornet and F/A-18 Super Hornet Fleet Replacement Squadron stationed at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia.-Mission:...
Gladiators [FRS] - VFA-131VFA-131Strike Fighter Squadron 131 , also known as the "Wildcats", is a United States Navy F/A-18C Hornet fighter squadron stationed at Naval Air Station Oceana. Their radio call sign is "Cat" and their aircraft tail code is AG.-Mission:...
Wildcats - VFA-136VFA-136Strike Fighter Squadron 136 also known as the "Knighthawks" is a United States Navy strike fighter squadron based at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia. The "Knighthawks" are an operational fleet squadron flying the F/A-18 Hornet. They are attached to Carrier Air Wing One and homeported at NAS...
Knighthawks - VFA-143VFA-143Strike Fighter Squadron 143 , also known as the "Pukin Dogs", are a United States Navy strike fighter squadron based at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia. The Pukin Dogs are an operational fleet squadron and flying the F/A-18E Super Hornet. They are currently attached to Carrier Air Wing Seven and...
Pukin Dogs - VFA-211VFA-211Strike Fighter Squadron 211 , nicknamed the "Fighting Checkmates", is an aviation unit of the United States Navy established in 1945. The squadron is based at Naval Air Station Oceana and is equipped with the F/A-18F Super Hornet....
Fighting Checkmates - VF-213 Black Lions
- VFA-11
Additionally, CSFWL exercises administrative and operational command over Strike Fighter Weapons School, Atlantic.
See also
- Naval aviationNaval aviationNaval aviation is the application of manned military air power by navies, including ships that embark fixed-wing aircraft or helicopters. In contrast, maritime aviation is the operation of aircraft in a maritime role under the command of non-naval forces such as the former RAF Coastal Command or a...
- Modern US Navy carrier air operationsModern US Navy carrier air operationsModern United States Navy aircraft carrier air operations include the operation of fixed wing and rotary aircraft on and around an aircraft carrier for performance of combat or non-combat missions. Modern United States Navy aircraft carrier flight operations are highly evolved, based on experiences...
- List of military aircraft of the United States (naval) / List of US Naval aircraft
- United States Naval AviatorUnited States Naval AviatorA United States Naval Aviator is a qualified pilot in the United States Navy, Marine Corps or Coast Guard.-Naming Conventions:Most Naval Aviators are Unrestricted Line Officers; however, a small number of Limited Duty Officers and Chief Warrant Officers are also trained as Naval Aviators.Until 1981...
- List of United States Navy aircraft squadrons
- List of Inactive United States Navy aircraft squadrons