VFA-102
Encyclopedia
Strike Fighter Squadron 102 (VFA-102) is a United States Navy
Strike Fighter squadron based at NAF Atsugi. Their call sign is 'Diamondback', with the tail code "NF," and they fly the F/A-18F Super Hornet.
. From November 1953 to September 1954, the squadron completed a world cruise aboard USS Tarawa (CV-40)
, visiting 10 foreign countries and transiting the Suez and Panama Canals. On 1 July 1955, VF-102 was redesignated VA-36 and moved from NAS Cecil Field to NAS Jacksonville.
The second VF-102 was established in 1955, was eventually redesignated as VFA-102, and is the subject of the remainder of this article.
. The Diamondbacks inaugural cruise took place aboard the USS Randolph
in July 1956. After returning from deployment, the squadron transitioned to the F4D Skyray
. In addition to four 20 mm internal cannons, the Skyray carried the new AIM-9 Sidewinder
missile.
. It subsequently transitioned to the F-4 Phantom beginning a 20-year association with the Phantom.
In 1964 and 1966 VF-102 won the COMNAVAIRLANT Battle “E” efficiency awards. Highlights during this period included participation in Operation Sea Orbit
on board the USS Enterprise
, and combat operations off Vietnam
in 1968.
.
In June 1981 the Diamondbacks flew their last Phantom during an Indian Ocean
cruise aboard USS Independence
. During the summer of 1981, the squadron transitioned to the F-14 Tomcat
. With the new aircraft, the Diamondbacks also received a new mission in addition to their traditional fighter role—photo reconnaissance using the TARPS pod. The Diamondbacks deployed aboard USS America
in the fall of 1982 to participate in the NATO Exercise Northern Wedding that required high temp operations in the heavy seas north of the British Isles, garnering considerable attention from Soviet Tupolev Tu-95
Bear D reconnaissance aircraft. The first Tomcat deployment with Carrier Air Wing One
began in 1983 and took America through the Suez Canal
to the Indian Ocean. Two VF-102 Tomcats, flying a routine TARPS mission over Somalia
were fired upon by an SA-2 SAM
site and AAA in April 1983. Both aircraft returned without damage.
VF-102 deployed in 1984 with the first KA-93 LOROP camera and ARC-182 Have Quick
radios, conducting OPEVAL
for both systems at sea. In 1985, America participated in the NATO exercise Ocean Safari and again conducted operations in the challenging seas and low visibility conditions near the Arctic Circle
and inside Vestfjord, Norway. While operating northwest of Ireland, a VF-102 TARPS aircrew flew an unprecedented 1200 nm TARPS mission to locate a Soviet Kynda Class Cruiser transiting the English Channel. In March 1986, the Diamondbacks deployed on board America, headed for the Gulf of Sidra
joining USS Saratoga
and USS Coral Sea
to challenge the Libyan proclaimed Line of Death. A VF-102 Tomcat was first to be fired on by a Libyan SA-5 and triple-A while flying Combat Air Patrol for Operation Attain Document
. A month later VF-102 flew cover for US Navy and US Air Force bombers in Operation El Dorado Canyon
.
and Saratoga in the Red Sea
as part of Operation Desert Shield, arriving the day operations were to begin. America remained part of the Red Sea Battle Force until directed to join USS Ranger
, USS Theodore Roosevelt
and USS Midway
in the Persian Gulf. In the six week campaign, VF-102 logged more than 1400 combat flight hours.
The Diamondbacks embarked America again in December 1991 for a six-month deployment to the Mediterranean Sea
and Persian Gulf
.
In early August 1993, the Diamondbacks embarked America to begin their third Mediterranean deployment in three years. During this deployment the squadron conducted humanitarian operations off the coast of Bosnia-Herzegovina supporting Operation Provide Promise
and Operation Deny Flight
. In late October the squadron supported Operation Restore Hope off the coast of Mogadishu, Somalia. By Mid-December they were supporting Operation Southern Watch
in Iraq
.
In June 1994, the Diamondbacks returned to NAS Oceana and transitioned to the F-14B aircraft. The Diamondbacks 1995–1996 Mediterranean cruise began with an emergency sortie to the Adriatic Sea
to take part in Operation Deliberate Force. They then proceeded to the Persian Gulf
in support of "Southern Watch". Placement of U.S. ground forces in Bosnia, led to another America emergency sortie back to the Adriatic in December. The Diamondbacks remained in the Adriatic for the remainder of the cruise, logging more than 4,000 hours and over 1,900 traps during the deployment.
With the disestablishment VF-33
, VF-102 became America's sole F-14 unit, completing its final deployment on February 24, 1996.
Upon America's decommissioning in 1996, VF-102 (and the rest of CVW-1) was assigned to USS George Washington (CVN-73)
.
In 1997, the Diamondbacks deployed aboard George Washington. A port visit to Haifa
, Israel was cut short late in November as the carrier battle group was ordered to the Persian Gulf in response to Saddam Hussein
's barring UN weapon inspectors from carrying out their assigned tasks. As the crises grew George Washington joined the USS Nimitz and HMS Invincible
. VF-102 returned to Norfolk on March 13, 1998.
In Autumn 1999, VF-102 deployed again to the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Southern Watch over southern Iraq. VF-102 carried out strikes on numerous anti-aircraft and radar sites and conducted numerous TARPS missions.
On September 19, 2001 in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks
, VF-102 began a scheduled deployment to the Arabian Sea
as a part of Operation Enduring Freedom and began combat operations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. During that deployment VF-102 flew 5000 combat hours and dropped 680 bombs as well as guiding more than 50,000 pounds of precision guided munitions launched by other aircraft, VF-102 dropped more ordnance and flew more combat hours then any other F-14 unit during the war in 2001 and 2002. In addition, as part of the USS Theodore Roosevelt Battle Group they were at sea for 159 consecutive days, breaking a 20 year old record..
Following the return from deployment, the squadron moved to NAS Lemoore, California
to begin transition training in the F/A-18F. Upon completion, the Diamondbacks again changed homeport to Naval Air Facility Atsugi
, Japan
.
VFA-102 deployed to the Pacific Ocean
aboard the USS Kitty Hawk in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007, taking part in several military exercises, including Orange Crush, Talisman Saber, Jasex, and Valiant Shield.
In March 2008, VFA-102 was named the Pacific Fleet Battle "E" award winner for the calendar year of 2007. This award recognizes the Diamondback supremacy in battle efficiency amongst all F/A-18E/F squadrons in the Pacific Fleet. In March 2010, the Diamondbacks were again honored with the Pacific Fleet Battle "E".
In the spring of 2008, VFA-102 embarked Kitty Hawk for her final deployment. Following a crossdeck in San Diego, the air wing is currently assigned to the USS George Washington
.
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
Strike Fighter squadron based at NAF Atsugi. Their call sign is 'Diamondback', with the tail code "NF," and they fly the F/A-18F Super Hornet.
History
Two distinct squadrons have been designated VF-102. The first VF-102 was established on 1 May 1952 flying the FG-1D and F9F-5F9F Panther
|-Popular culture:The Panther played a prominent role in the 1954 movie Men of the Fighting Lady . The F9F was featured in the flying sequences in the 1954 movie The Bridges at Toko-Ri, although in the 1953 James A...
. From November 1953 to September 1954, the squadron completed a world cruise aboard USS Tarawa (CV-40)
USS Tarawa (CV-40)
USS Tarawa was one of 24 s built during and shortly after World War II for the United States Navy. The ship was the first US Navy ship to bear the name, and was named for the bloody 1943 Battle of Tarawa. Tarawa was commissioned in December 1945, too late to serve in World War II. After serving a...
, visiting 10 foreign countries and transiting the Suez and Panama Canals. On 1 July 1955, VF-102 was redesignated VA-36 and moved from NAS Cecil Field to NAS Jacksonville.
The second VF-102 was established in 1955, was eventually redesignated as VFA-102, and is the subject of the remainder of this article.
1950s
The second Fighter Squadron 102 (VF-102), was established as VA-36 on July 1, 1955, and was immediately redesignated VF-102 on the same day (at the time, squadron designations were associated with their assigned airwing). The squadron was based at NAS Jacksonville flying the F2H BansheeF2H Banshee
The McDonnell F2H Banshee was a single-seat carrier-based jet fighter aircraft deployed by the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps from 1948 to 1961. It was one of the primary American fighters used during the Korean War and was the only jet-powered fighter ever deployed by the Royal...
. The Diamondbacks inaugural cruise took place aboard the USS Randolph
USS Randolph (CV-15)
USS Randolph was one of 24 s built during World War II for the United States Navy. The second US Navy ship to bear the name, she was named for Peyton Randolph, president of the First Continental Congress. Randolph was commissioned in October 1944, and served in several campaigns in the Pacific...
in July 1956. After returning from deployment, the squadron transitioned to the F4D Skyray
F4D Skyray
The Douglas F4D Skyray was an American carrier-based supersonic fighter/interceptor built by the Douglas Aircraft Company...
. In addition to four 20 mm internal cannons, the Skyray carried the new AIM-9 Sidewinder
AIM-9 Sidewinder
The AIM-9 Sidewinder is a heat-seeking, short-range, air-to-air missile carried mostly by fighter aircraft and recently, certain gunship helicopters. The missile entered service with United States Air Force in the early 1950s, and variants and upgrades remain in active service with many air forces...
missile.
1960s
The final cruise with the Skyray on Forrestal was in 1960 after the squadron had moved to NAS Oceana, VirginiaVirginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. It subsequently transitioned to the F-4 Phantom beginning a 20-year association with the Phantom.
In 1964 and 1966 VF-102 won the COMNAVAIRLANT Battle “E” efficiency awards. Highlights during this period included participation in Operation Sea Orbit
Operation Sea Orbit
Operation Sea Orbit was the 1964 around-the-world cruise of the United States Navy's Task Force One, consisting of USS Enterprise , USS Long Beach , and USS Bainbridge . This all-nuclear-powered unit steamed 30,565 miles unrefuelled around the world for sixty-five days.The cruise began on July 31...
on board the USS Enterprise
USS Enterprise (CVN-65)
USS Enterprise , formerly CVA-65, is the world's first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier and the eighth US naval vessel to bear the name. Like her predecessor of World War II fame, she is nicknamed the "Big E". At , she is the longest naval vessel in the world...
, and combat operations off Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
in 1968.
1970s
In 1975 and 1978, VF-102 conducted cross-deck operations aboard HMS Ark RoyalHMS Ark Royal (R09)
HMS Ark Royal was an Audacious-class aircraft carrier of the Royal Navy and, when she was decommissioned in 1978, was the Royal Navy's last remaining conventional catapult and arrested-landing aircraft carrier...
.
1980s
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
cruise aboard USS Independence
USS Independence (CV-62)
The fifth USS Independence is a of the United States Navy. It was the fourth and final member of the Forrestal-class conventional-powered Supercarrier...
. During the summer of 1981, the squadron transitioned to 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...
. With the new aircraft, the Diamondbacks also received a new mission in addition to their traditional fighter role—photo reconnaissance using the TARPS pod. The Diamondbacks deployed aboard USS America
USS America (CV-66)
The USS America was one of four Kitty Hawk-class super carriers built for the United States Navy in the 1960s. Commissioned in 1965, she spent most of her career in the Atlantic and Mediterranean, but did make three Pacific deployments serving in the Vietnam War. She also served in operations...
in the fall of 1982 to participate in the NATO Exercise Northern Wedding that required high temp operations in the heavy seas north of the British Isles, garnering considerable attention from Soviet Tupolev Tu-95
Tupolev Tu-95
The Tupolev Tu-95 is a large, four-engine turboprop-powered strategic bomber and missile platform. First flown in 1952, the Tu-95 entered service with the former Soviet Union in 1956 and is expected to serve the Russian Air Force until at least 2040...
Bear D reconnaissance aircraft. The first Tomcat deployment with Carrier Air Wing One
Carrier Air Wing One
Carrier Air Wing One is a United States Navy aircraft carrier air wing based at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia. The air wing is attached to the aircraft carrier .-Mission:...
began in 1983 and took America through the Suez Canal
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...
to the Indian Ocean. Two VF-102 Tomcats, flying a routine TARPS mission over Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
were fired upon by an SA-2 SAM
Surface-to-air missile
A surface-to-air missile or ground-to-air missile is a missile designed to be launched from the ground to destroy aircraft or other missiles...
site and AAA in April 1983. Both aircraft returned without damage.
VF-102 deployed in 1984 with the first KA-93 LOROP camera and ARC-182 Have Quick
HAVE QUICK
HAVE QUICK is a frequency-hopping system used to protect military UHF radio traffic.Since the end of World War II, U.S. and Allied military aircraft have used AM radios in the 225–400 MHz UHF band for short range air-to-air and ground-to-air communications...
radios, conducting OPEVAL
OPEVAL
An Operational Evaluation , the final phase of operational test and evaluation prior to fielding of a system or new equipment, is a process used by NATO military forces and designed to be no more than a 'customer acceptance' test...
for both systems at sea. In 1985, America participated in the NATO exercise Ocean Safari and again conducted operations in the challenging seas and low visibility conditions near the Arctic Circle
Arctic Circle
The Arctic Circle is one of the five major circles of latitude that mark maps of the Earth. For Epoch 2011, it is the parallel of latitude that runs north of the Equator....
and inside Vestfjord, Norway. While operating northwest of Ireland, a VF-102 TARPS aircrew flew an unprecedented 1200 nm TARPS mission to locate a Soviet Kynda Class Cruiser transiting the English Channel. In March 1986, the Diamondbacks deployed on board America, headed for the Gulf of Sidra
Gulf of Sidra
Gulf of Sidra is a body of water in the Mediterranean Sea on the northern coast of Libya; it is also known as Gulf of Sirte or the Great Sirte or Greater Syrtis .- Geography :The Gulf of Sidra has been a major centre for tuna fishing in the Mediterranean for centuries...
joining USS Saratoga
USS Saratoga (CV-60)
USS Saratoga , was one of four Forrestal- class supercarriers built for the US Navy in the 1950s. Saratoga was the sixth US Navy ship, and the second aircraft carrier, to be named for the Battle of Saratoga in the American Revolutionary War.Commissioned in 1956, she spent most of her career in...
and USS Coral Sea
USS Coral Sea (CV-43)
USS Coral Sea , a , was the third ship of the United States Navy to be named for the Battle of the Coral Sea. She earned the affectionate nickname "Ageless Warrior" through her long career...
to challenge the Libyan proclaimed Line of Death. A VF-102 Tomcat was first to be fired on by a Libyan SA-5 and triple-A while flying Combat Air Patrol for Operation Attain Document
Action in the Gulf of Sidra (1986)
In the Action in the Gulf of Sidra, the United States Navy deployed aircraft carrier groups in the disputed Gulf of Sidra in the Mediterranean Sea. Libya claimed that the entire Gulf was their territory, at 32° 30' N, with an exclusive fishing zone. Libyan leader Muammar al-Gaddafi asserted this...
. A month later VF-102 flew cover for US Navy and US Air Force bombers in Operation El Dorado Canyon
Operation El Dorado Canyon
The 1986 United States bombing of Libya, code-named Operation El Dorado Canyon, comprised the joint United States Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps air-strikes against Libya on April 15, 1986. The attack was carried out in response to the 1986 Berlin discotheque bombing.-Origins:Shortly after his...
.
1990s
In the fall of 1990, the Diamondbacks joined the USS John F. KennedyUSS John F. Kennedy (CV-67)
USS John F. Kennedy is a John F. Kennedy class aircraft carrier, the last conventionally powered carrier built for the United States Navy. The ship is named after the 35th President of the United States, John F...
and Saratoga in the Red Sea
Red Sea
The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez...
as part of Operation Desert Shield, arriving the day operations were to begin. America remained part of the Red Sea Battle Force until directed to join USS Ranger
USS Ranger (CV-61)
The seventh USS Ranger is one of four Forrestal-class supercarriers built for the US Navy in the 1950s. Commissioned in 1957, she served extensively in the Pacific, especially the Vietnam War, for which she earned 13 battle stars. Near the end of her career she also served in the Indian Ocean and...
, USS Theodore Roosevelt
USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71)
USS Theodore Roosevelt is the fourth Nimitz-class supercarrier. Her radio call sign is Rough Rider, the name of President Theodore Roosevelt's volunteer cavalry unit during the Spanish-American War...
and USS Midway
USS Midway (CV-41)
USS Midway was an aircraft carrier of the United States Navy, the lead ship of her class, and the first to be commissioned after the end of World War II...
in the Persian Gulf. In the six week campaign, VF-102 logged more than 1400 combat flight hours.
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
and Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
.
In early August 1993, the Diamondbacks embarked America to begin their third Mediterranean deployment in three years. During this deployment the squadron conducted humanitarian operations off the coast of Bosnia-Herzegovina supporting Operation Provide Promise
Operation Provide Promise
Operation Provide Promise was a humanitarian relief operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina during the Yugoslav Wars, from 2 July 1992, to 9 January 1996, which made it the longest running humanitarian airlift in history....
and Operation Deny Flight
Operation Deny Flight
Operation Deny Flight was a North Atlantic Treaty Organization operation that began on April 12, 1993 as the enforcement of a United Nations no-fly zone over Bosnia and Herzegovina...
. In late October the squadron supported Operation Restore Hope off the coast of Mogadishu, Somalia. By Mid-December they were supporting Operation Southern Watch
Operation Southern Watch
Operation Southern Watch was an operation conducted by Joint Task Force Southwest Asia with the mission of monitoring and controlling airspace south of the 32nd Parallel in Iraq, following the 1991 Gulf War until the 2003 invasion of Iraq.-Summary:Operation Southern Watch began on 27 August 1992...
in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
.
In June 1994, the Diamondbacks returned to NAS Oceana and transitioned to the F-14B aircraft. The Diamondbacks 1995–1996 Mediterranean cruise began with an emergency sortie to the Adriatic Sea
Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges...
to take part in Operation Deliberate Force. They then proceeded to the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
in support of "Southern Watch". Placement of U.S. ground forces in Bosnia, led to another America emergency sortie back to the Adriatic in December. The Diamondbacks remained in the Adriatic for the remainder of the cruise, logging more than 4,000 hours and over 1,900 traps during the deployment.
VF-33
Fighter Squadron 33 was an aviation unit of the United States Navy. The first VF-33 was originally commissioned in 6 August 1942 and disestablished on 19 November 1945. A second VF-33 was then reactivated on 11 October 1948...
, VF-102 became America's sole F-14 unit, completing its final deployment on February 24, 1996.
USS George Washington (CVN-73)
USS George Washington is an American nuclear-powered supercarrier, the sixth ship in the Nimitz class and the fourth United States Navy ship to be named after George Washington, the first President of the United States...
.
In 1997, the Diamondbacks deployed aboard George Washington. A port visit to Haifa
Haifa
Haifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
, Israel was cut short late in November as the carrier battle group was ordered to the Persian Gulf in response to Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
's barring UN weapon inspectors from carrying out their assigned tasks. As the crises grew George Washington joined the USS Nimitz and HMS Invincible
HMS Invincible (R05)
HMS Invincible was a British light aircraft carrier, the lead ship of three in her class in the Royal Navy. She was launched on 3 May 1977 and is the seventh ship to carry the name. She saw action in the Falklands War when she was deployed with , she took over as flagship of the British fleet when...
. VF-102 returned to Norfolk on March 13, 1998.
2000s
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
, VF-102 began a scheduled deployment to the Arabian Sea
Arabian Sea
The Arabian Sea is a region of the Indian Ocean bounded on the east by India, on the north by Pakistan and Iran, on the west by the Arabian Peninsula, on the south, approximately, by a line between Cape Guardafui in northeastern Somalia and Kanyakumari in India...
as a part of Operation Enduring Freedom and began combat operations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. During that deployment VF-102 flew 5000 combat hours and dropped 680 bombs as well as guiding more than 50,000 pounds of precision guided munitions launched by other aircraft, VF-102 dropped more ordnance and flew more combat hours then any other F-14 unit during the war in 2001 and 2002. In addition, as part of the USS Theodore Roosevelt Battle Group they were at sea for 159 consecutive days, breaking a 20 year old record..
Following the return from deployment, the squadron moved to NAS Lemoore, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
to begin transition training in the F/A-18F. Upon completion, the Diamondbacks again changed homeport to Naval Air Facility Atsugi
Naval Air Facility Atsugi
is a naval air base located in the cities of Yamato and Ayase in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. It is the largest United States Navy air base in the Pacific Ocean and houses the squadrons of Carrier Air Wing 5, which deploys with the aircraft carrier...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
VFA-102 deployed to the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
aboard the USS Kitty Hawk in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007, taking part in several military exercises, including Orange Crush, Talisman Saber, Jasex, and Valiant Shield.
In March 2008, VFA-102 was named the Pacific Fleet Battle "E" award winner for the calendar year of 2007. This award recognizes the Diamondback supremacy in battle efficiency amongst all F/A-18E/F squadrons in the Pacific Fleet. In March 2010, the Diamondbacks were again honored with the Pacific Fleet Battle "E".
In the spring of 2008, VFA-102 embarked Kitty Hawk for her final deployment. Following a crossdeck in San Diego, the air wing is currently assigned to the USS George Washington
USS George Washington (CVN-73)
USS George Washington is an American nuclear-powered supercarrier, the sixth ship in the Nimitz class and the fourth United States Navy ship to be named after George Washington, the first President of the United States...
.
External links
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...
- Military aviationMilitary aviationMilitary aviation is the use of aircraft and other flying machines for the purposes of conducting or enabling warfare, including national airlift capacity to provide logistical supply to forces stationed in a theater or along a front. Air power includes the national means of conducting such...
- List of United States Navy aircraft squadrons
- List of Inactive United States Navy aircraft squadrons