VFA-81
Encyclopedia
Strike Fighter Squadron 81 (VFA-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. Their mission is to conduct prompt and sustained combat operations from the sea, putting fuzed ordnance on target, on time.
The squadron was originally called Crusaders and their first insignia was approved by CNO
on December 16, 1955. The original insignia was a black cougar on a light blue background.
On 21 November 1963, the squadron was renamed the Sunliners and a new insignia was approved consisting of a black background with the international orange "mach wave" design. They also adopted the motto "Anytime, Anyplace" at this time.
When the squadron was redesignated VFA, a modification to the current design was made on March 30, 1988.
. Their first deployment was with CVG-17
in late 1956 aboard the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt
in response to the Suez Crisis
. In 1958 VF-81 made a deployment as part of Air Task Group 181 (ATG-181) aboard USS Lake Champlain
to the Mediterranean Sea
. In the next year VF-81 went to sea with ATG-182 to the North Atlantic
aboard USS Intrepid
.
On 04 Mar 1959 VF-81 was reequipped with the Douglas A4D-2 Skyhawk
and redesignated attack squadron VA-81 on 1 July 1959.
VA-81 was assigned to CVG-8
and made five deployments to the Mediterranean Sea aboard the aircraft carrier USS Forrestal between 1960 and 1966.
From October 1961 to February 1962, a detachment of VA-81 Skyhawks deployed to the North Atlantic embarked in USS Essex
. The detachment was provided air cover for antisubmarine units embarked in Essex with their AIM-9 Sidewinder
missiles. The detachment was the first jet unit to function as part of an antisubmarine killer force.
In April 1963 the squadron transitioned from the A-4B (A4D-2) to the A-4C Skyhawk.
In 1966 and 1967, VA-81 was deployed with CVG-8
to the Mediterranean, this time aboard USS Shangri-La
. For the 1967/68 deployment aboard the same carrier, VA-81 flew the A-4C.
In 1969 VA-81 A-4Cs made a single deployment to the Med aboard the USS John F. Kennedy
as part of CVW-1
, operating for a time off the coast of Libya
following a coup that overthrew the Libyan monarchy on 1 September 1969.
and was reassigned to CVW-17
.
Between 1971 and 1982 VA-81 made eight deployments to the 6th Fleet aboard USS Forrestal.
In Dec 1972, squadron’s A-7Es conducted cross-deck operations with the British carrier HMS Ark Royal
.
From July to August 1974, VA-81 operated from USS Forrestal in the vicinity of Cyprus
following a coup in that country and its invasion by Turkish forces. Surveillance and cover missions were flown by the squadron during the crisis.
VA-81 embarked in Forrestal from May to June 1981, operating in the eastern Mediterranean following Israeli reprisal raids against Syrian missile batteries located in southern Lebanon.
In August 1981, the squadron participated a Freedom of Navigation
Exercise in the Gulf of Sidra
. During this exercise on August 18, two F-14 Tomcats from USS Nimitz (CVN-68) shot down two Libyan SU-22 Fitters. Tensions escalated, and VA-81 flew reconnaissance missions over potentially hostile Libyan ships.
Between 1984 and 1987 VA-81 made three deployments with the Saratoga.
On March 23, 1986, while operating off coast of Libya
, aircraft from Saratoga, USS Coral Sea
, and USS America
crossed what Libyan leader Muammar al-Gaddafi
had called the "Line of Death."
The next day, three U.S. Navy warships crossed the same 32° 30' North latitude line. Two hours later, Libyan forces fired SA-5 Gammon surface-to-air missiles from the coastal town of Surt. The missiles missed their F-14 Tomcat
targets and fell harmlessly into the water. Later that afternoon, U.S. aircraft turned back two Libyan MiG-25
fighter planes over the disputed Gulf of Sidra
. In response a Grumman A-6E Intruder
attacked a Libyan missile patrol boat operating on the "Line of Death." Later that night, VA-81 aircraft acted as the decoy group for VA-83’s HARM
strike against the Libyan missile radar site at Surt. At the conclusion, three Libyan patrol boats and a radar site were destroyed by Navy aircraft.
On February 4, 1988, VA-81 transitioned to the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C Hornet
and was redesignated Strike Fighter Squadron 81 (VFA-81).
. On January 17, 1991, LCDR Scott Speicher's
F/A-18C was shot down on the first night of the Persian Gulf War while flying a mission west of Baghdad
. It is disputed whether he was shot down by a SAM
or by a MiG-25.
On the first day of the war the Sunliners scored the Navy's only two aerial victories by downing two Iraqi MiG-21s
. VFA-81 returned to its homeport of NAS Cecil Field, Florida on 27 March 1991, following the swift coalition victory. The squadron also participated in the last Mediterranean deployment of Saratoga, which was decommissioned in August 1994.
In 1996 VFA-81 made a cruise with CVW-17 aboard the USS Enterprise
, followed by a deployment aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower
in 1998. Following this cruise, the squadron shifted its homeport to NAS Oceana, Virginia due to the BRAC
-mandated closure of NAS Cecil Field in 1999.
In 2000 and 2002 VFA-81 made two deployments aboard USS George Washington
to the Mediterranean Sea and the Persian Gulf. In 2004 VA-81 made a single deployment aboard the USS John F. Kennedy
.
In 2007 VFA-81 was reassigned to CVW-11
in the Pacific Fleet and deployed aboard USS Nimitz to the Western Pacific
and the Persian Gulf
. Its last deployment ended on June 3, 2008, and the squadron began transition training from the F/A-18C Hornet to the F/A-18E Super Hornet.
In 2011, the squadron was embarked with Carrier Air Wing 17 for a Western Pacific and Persian Gulf
deployment aboard USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70)
.
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...
F/A-18E Super Hornet strike fighter squadron stationed at Naval Air Station Oceana
Naval Air Station Oceana
Naval Air Station Oceana or NAS Oceana is a military airport located in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and is a United States Navy Master Jet Base. It is also known as Apollo Soucek Field, named after Lieutenant Apollo Soucek, a Navy Test Pilot who set the global altitude record in 1930 by flying a...
. They are a part of Carrier Air Wing Seventeen
Carrier Air Wing Seventeen
Carrier Air Wing Seventeen , 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 USS Carl Vinson.-Mission:...
, their radio callsign is Zapper, and their tail code is AA. Their mission is to conduct prompt and sustained combat operations from the sea, putting fuzed ordnance on target, on time.
Insignia and nickname
CNO
CNO is a three-letter initialism. It can mean:* "chartay nahi o??" BFSF, abbreviated CNO in the context of the GPS* Chief of Naval Operations* Chief Networking Officer* Chief Nuclear Officer* Chief Nursing Officer* Chino Airport IATA symbol: CNO...
on December 16, 1955. The original insignia was a black cougar on a light blue background.
On 21 November 1963, the squadron was renamed the Sunliners and a new insignia was approved consisting of a black background with the international orange "mach wave" design. They also adopted the motto "Anytime, Anyplace" at this time.
When the squadron was redesignated VFA, a modification to the current design was made on March 30, 1988.
1950s
The Sunliners of VFA-81 were originally commissioned as Attack Squadron SIXTY SIX (VA-66) on 1 July 1955. On the same day, they were redesignated Fighter Squadron 81 (VF-81), an all weather fighter interceptor squadron flying the Grumman F9F-8B CougarF9F Cougar
The Grumman F9F/F-9 Cougar was an aircraft carrier-based fighter aircraft for the United States Navy. Based on the earlier Grumman F9F Panther, the Cougar replaced the Panther's straight wing with a more modern swept wing...
. Their first deployment was with CVG-17
Carrier Air Wing Seventeen
Carrier Air Wing Seventeen , 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 USS Carl Vinson.-Mission:...
in late 1956 aboard the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt
USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CV-42)
USS Franklin D. Roosevelt was the second of three Midway class aircraft carriers. To her crew, she was known as the "Swanky Franky," "Foo-De-Roo," or "Rosie," with the last nickname probably the most popular. Roosevelt spent most of her active deployed career operating in the Mediterranean Sea as...
in response to the Suez Crisis
Suez Crisis
The Suez Crisis, also referred to as the Tripartite Aggression, Suez War was an offensive war fought by France, the United Kingdom, and Israel against Egypt beginning on 29 October 1956. Less than a day after Israel invaded Egypt, Britain and France issued a joint ultimatum to Egypt and Israel,...
. In 1958 VF-81 made a deployment as part of Air Task Group 181 (ATG-181) aboard USS Lake Champlain
USS Lake Champlain (CV-39)
USS Lake Champlain was one of 24 s completed during or shortly after World War II for the United States Navy. She was the second US Navy ship to bear the name, and was named for the Battle of Lake Champlain in the War of 1812....
to the Mediterranean Sea
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...
. In the next year VF-81 went to sea with ATG-182 to the North Atlantic
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
aboard USS Intrepid
USS Intrepid (CV-11)
USS Intrepid , also known as The Fighting "I", is one of 24 s built during World War II for the United States Navy. She is the fourth US Navy ship to bear the name. Commissioned in August 1943, Intrepid participated in several campaigns in the Pacific Theater of Operations, most notably the Battle...
.
On 04 Mar 1959 VF-81 was reequipped with the Douglas A4D-2 Skyhawk
A-4 Skyhawk
The Douglas A-4 Skyhawk is a carrier-capable ground-attack aircraft designed for the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps. The delta winged, single-engined Skyhawk was designed and produced by Douglas Aircraft Company, and later McDonnell Douglas. It was originally designated the A4D...
and redesignated attack squadron VA-81 on 1 July 1959.
1960s
Carrier Air Wing Eight
Carrier Air Wing Eight , 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 USS George H.W...
and made five deployments to the Mediterranean Sea aboard the aircraft carrier USS Forrestal between 1960 and 1966.
From October 1961 to February 1962, a detachment of VA-81 Skyhawks deployed to the North Atlantic embarked in USS Essex
USS Essex (CV-9)
USS Essex was an aircraft carrier, the lead ship of the 24-ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. She was the fourth US Navy ship to bear the name. Commissioned in December 1942, Essex participated in several campaigns in the Pacific Theater of Operations, earning the...
. The detachment was provided air cover for antisubmarine units embarked in Essex with their 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...
missiles. The detachment was the first jet unit to function as part of an antisubmarine killer force.
In April 1963 the squadron transitioned from the A-4B (A4D-2) to the A-4C Skyhawk.
In 1966 and 1967, VA-81 was deployed with CVG-8
Carrier Air Wing Eight
Carrier Air Wing Eight , 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 USS George H.W...
to the Mediterranean, this time aboard USS Shangri-La
USS Shangri-La (CV-38)
USS Shangri-La was one of 24 s completed during or shortly after World War II for the United States Navy.Commissioned in 1944, Shangri-La participated in several campaigns in the Pacific Theater of Operations in World War II, earning two battle stars...
. For the 1967/68 deployment aboard the same carrier, VA-81 flew the A-4C.
In 1969 VA-81 A-4Cs made a single deployment to the Med aboard the USS John F. Kennedy
USS 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...
as part of CVW-1
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:...
, operating for a time off the coast of Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
following a coup that overthrew the Libyan monarchy on 1 September 1969.
1970s
In February 1970, the Sunliners won the Navy Battle "E" for East Coast A-4 squadrons. In May 1970, VA-81 transitioned to the Vought A-7E Corsair IIA-7 Corsair II
The Ling-Temco-Vought A-7 Corsair II is a carrier-based subsonic light attack aircraft introduced to replace the United States Navy's Douglas A-4 Skyhawk, initially entering service during the Vietnam War...
and was reassigned to CVW-17
Carrier Air Wing Seventeen
Carrier Air Wing Seventeen , 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 USS Carl Vinson.-Mission:...
.
Between 1971 and 1982 VA-81 made eight deployments to the 6th Fleet aboard USS Forrestal.
In Dec 1972, squadron’s A-7Es conducted cross-deck operations with the British carrier HMS Ark Royal
HMS 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...
.
From July to August 1974, VA-81 operated from USS Forrestal in the vicinity of Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
following a coup in that country and its invasion by Turkish forces. Surveillance and cover missions were flown by the squadron during the crisis.
1980s
In August 1981, the squadron participated a Freedom of Navigation
Freedom of Navigation
Freedom of Navigation is a principle of customary International Law that, apart from the exceptions provided for in international law, ships flying the flag of any state shall not suffer interference from other states. This right is now also codified as article 87a of the 1982 United Nations...
Exercise in 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...
. During this exercise on August 18, two F-14 Tomcats from USS Nimitz (CVN-68) shot down two Libyan SU-22 Fitters. Tensions escalated, and VA-81 flew reconnaissance missions over potentially hostile Libyan ships.
Between 1984 and 1987 VA-81 made three deployments with the Saratoga.
On March 23, 1986, while operating off coast of Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
, aircraft from Saratoga, 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...
, and 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...
crossed what Libyan leader Muammar al-Gaddafi
Muammar al-Gaddafi
Muammar Muhammad Abu Minyar Gaddafi or "September 1942" 20 October 2011), commonly known as Muammar Gaddafi or Colonel Gaddafi, was the official ruler of the Libyan Arab Republic from 1969 to 1977 and then the "Brother Leader" of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya from 1977 to 2011.He seized power in a...
had called the "Line of Death."
The next day, three U.S. Navy warships crossed the same 32° 30' North latitude line. Two hours later, Libyan forces fired SA-5 Gammon surface-to-air missiles from the coastal town of Surt. The missiles missed their 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...
targets and fell harmlessly into the water. Later that afternoon, U.S. aircraft turned back two Libyan MiG-25
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25 is a supersonic interceptor and reconnaissance aircraft that was among the fastest military aircraft to enter service. Designed by the Soviet Union's Mikoyan-Gurevich bureau the first prototype flew in 1964 with entry into service in 1970...
fighter planes over the disputed 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...
. In response a Grumman A-6E Intruder
A-6 Intruder
The Grumman A-6 Intruder was an American, twin jet-engine, mid-wing attack aircraft built by Grumman Aerospace. In service with the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps between 1963 and 1997, the Intruder was designed as an all-weather medium attack aircraft to replace the piston-engined A-1 Skyraider...
attacked a Libyan missile patrol boat operating on the "Line of Death." Later that night, VA-81 aircraft acted as the decoy group for VA-83’s HARM
AGM-88 HARM
The AGM-88 High-speed Anti-Radiation Missile is a tactical, air-to-surface missile designed to home in on electronic transmissions coming from surface-to-air radar systems. It was originally developed by Texas Instruments as a replacement for the AGM-45 Shrike and AGM-78 Standard ARM system...
strike against the Libyan missile radar site at Surt. At the conclusion, three Libyan patrol boats and a radar site were destroyed by Navy aircraft.
On February 4, 1988, VA-81 transitioned to the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C Hornet
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 was redesignated Strike Fighter Squadron 81 (VFA-81).
1990s
The squadron made three deployments with Saratoga between 1990 and 1994. On its first cruise in the FA-18, VFA-81 participated in Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert StormGulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
. On January 17, 1991, LCDR Scott Speicher's
Scott Speicher
Michael Scott Speicher was a United States Navy pilot who was shot down over Iraq during the Gulf War. He was the first American combat casualty of the conflict. His remains were not recovered until Aug. 2, 2009...
F/A-18C was shot down on the first night of the Persian Gulf War while flying a mission west of Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
. It is disputed whether he was shot down by a 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...
or by a MiG-25.
On the first day of the war the Sunliners scored the Navy's only two aerial victories by downing two Iraqi MiG-21s
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 is a supersonic jet fighter aircraft, designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau in the Soviet Union. It was popularly nicknamed "balalaika", from the aircraft's planform-view resemblance to the Russian stringed musical instrument or ołówek by Polish pilots due to...
. VFA-81 returned to its homeport of NAS Cecil Field, Florida on 27 March 1991, following the swift coalition victory. The squadron also participated in the last Mediterranean deployment of Saratoga, which was decommissioned in August 1994.
In 1996 VFA-81 made a cruise with CVW-17 aboard 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...
, followed by a deployment aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower
USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69)
USS Dwight D. Eisenhower is an aircraft carrier currently in service with the United States Navy. Commissioned in 1977, the ship is the second of the ten Nimitz-class supercarriers currently in service, and is the first ship named after the thirty-fourth President of the United States, Dwight D....
in 1998. Following this cruise, the squadron shifted its homeport to NAS Oceana, Virginia due to the BRAC
Base 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...
-mandated closure of NAS Cecil Field in 1999.
2000s
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...
to the Mediterranean Sea and the Persian Gulf. In 2004 VA-81 made a single deployment aboard the USS John F. Kennedy
USS 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...
.
In 2007 VFA-81 was reassigned to CVW-11
Carrier Air Wing Eleven
Carrier Air Wing Eleven is a United States Navy aircraft carrier air wing based at Naval Air Station Lemoore, California. The air wing is attached to the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz.-Mission:...
in the Pacific Fleet and deployed aboard USS Nimitz to the Western Pacific
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...
and 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...
. Its last deployment ended on June 3, 2008, and the squadron began transition training from the F/A-18C Hornet to the F/A-18E Super Hornet.
In 2011, the squadron was embarked with Carrier Air Wing 17 for a Western Pacific 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...
deployment aboard USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70)
USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70)
The USS Carl Vinson is the third United States Navy Nimitz class supercarrier and is named after Carl Vinson, a Congressman from Georgia. Carl Vinson's callsign is "Gold Eagle". It played host to the first NCAA basketball game on an aircraft carrier on 11/11/11 between the University of North...
.
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