Squadron Location Aircraft Command Tail code
NFDS ‘Blue Angels’ NAS Pensacola, FloridaF/A-18A/B/C/D CNATRA
NAWDC NAS Fallon, Nevada F/A-18A/C/E/F CNAF/CNAFP
USNTPS NAS Patuxent River, Maryland F/A-18F NAWCAD
VFA-2 ‘Bounty Hunters’ NAS Lemoore, California F/A-18F CSFWP NE
VFA-11 ‘Red Rippers’ NAS Oceana, Virginia F/A-18F CSFWL AB
VFA-14 ‘Top Hatters’ NAS Lemoore, California F/A-18E CSFWP NG
VFA-22
‘Fighting Redcocks’NAS Lemoore,
California F/A-18F CSFWP NA
VFA-25 ‘Fist of the Fleet’NAS Lemoore, California F/A-18E CSFWP AG
VFA-27 ‘Royal Maces’
(see note 1) MCAS Iwakuni, Japan F/A-18E CSFWP NF
VFA-31 ‘Tomcatters’ NAS Oceana, Virginia F/A-18E CSFWL AJ
VFA-32 ‘Swordsmen’ NAS Oceana, Virginia F/A-18F CSFWL AC
VFA-34 ‘Blue Blasters’
(see note 1) NAS Oceana, Virginia F/A-18C CSFWL NE
VFA-37 ‘Bulls’ NAS Oceana, Virginia F/A-18E CSFWL AJ
VFA-41 ‘Black Aces’ NAS Lemoore, California F/A-18F CSFWP NG
VFA-81 ‘Sunliners’ NAS Oceana, Virginia F/A-18E CSFWL AB
VFA-83 ‘Rampagers’
(see Note 1) NAS Oceana, Virginia F/A-18C CSFWL AG
VFA-86 ‘Sidewinders’ NAS Lemoore, California F/A-18E CSFWP AG
VFA-87
‘Golden Warriors’ NAS Oceana, Virginia F/A-18E CSFWL AJ
VFA-94 ‘Mighty Shrikes’NAS Lemoore, California F/A-18F CSFWP NA
VFA-97 ‘Warhawks’ NAS Lemoore, California F/A-18E CSFWP NG
VFA-102
‘Diamondbacks’ MCAS Iwakuni, Japan F/A-18F CSFWP NF
VFA-103 ‘Jolly Rogers’ NAS Oceana, Virginia F/A-18F CSFWL AG
VFA-105 ‘Gunslingers’ NAS Oceana, Virginia F/A-18E CSFWL AC
VFA-106 (FRS)
‘Gladiators’ NAS Oceana, VirginiaF/A-18A/B/C/
D/E/F CSFWL AD
VFA-113 ‘Stingers’ NAS Lemoore, California F/A-18E CSFWP NA
VFA-115 ‘Eagles’ MCAS Iwakuni, Japan F/A-18E CSFWP NF
VFA-122 (FRS)
‘Flying Eagles’NAS Lemoore,
California F/A-18C/D/E/F CSFWP NJ
VFA-131 ‘Wildcats’ NAS Oceana, Virginia F/A-18E CSFWL AC
VFA-136 ‘Knighthawks’ NAS Lemoore, California F/A-18E CSFWL AB
VFA-137 ‘Kestrels’ NAS Lemoore, California F/A-18E CSFWP NE
VFA-143 ‘Pukin Dogs’ NAS Oceana, Virginia F/A-18E CSFWL AG
VFA-146
‘Blue Diamonds’NAS Lemoore,
California F/A-18E CSFWP NH
VFA-151 ‘Vigilantes’ NAS Lemoore, California F/A-18E CSFWP NG
VFA-154 ‘Black Knights’NAS Lemoore, California F/A-18F CSFWP NH
VFA-192
‘Golden Dragons’NAS Lemoore,
California F/A-18E CSFWP NE
VFA-195 ‘Dambusters’ MCAS Iwakuni, Japan F/A-18E CSFWP NF
VFA-204 ‘River Rattlers’ NAS JRB New Orleans, Louisiana F/A-18A+/B/C CTSW AF
VFA-211 ‘Checkmates’ NAS Oceana, Virginia F/A-18F CSFWL AB
VFA-213 ‘Black Lions’ NAS Oceana, Virginia F/A-18F CSFWL AJ
VFC-12 ‘Fighting Omars’NAS Oceana, Virginia F/A-18A+/B/C CTSW AF
VX-23 ‘Salty Dogs’ NAS Patuxent River, Maryland F/A-18B/C/D/E/F, NF/A-18C/D NAWCAD SD
VX-31 ‘Dust Devils’ NAWS China Lake, California F/A-18A/C/D/E/FNAWCWD DD
VX-9 ‘Vampires’ NAWS China Lake, California F/A-18C/D/E/F COTEF XE
1 VFA-34 and VFA-83 will transition to the F/A-18E.and the navy’s FY2019 request
included 24 more.
Super Hornets now equip 31 of
the navy’s active-duty strike ghter
squadrons. Just two units continue
to operate the ‘classic’ Hornet.
In addition to continued
procurement, the navy is taking
an incremental approach to
incorporating new technologies
and capabilities on the Super
Hornet. As part of its budget
request for Fiscal 2018, the
service revealed that it plans to
move forward with an upgrade
of its F/A-18E/F eet to Boeing’s
proposed Block III con guration.
In fact, the service plans to invest
$264.9 million in the project
through Fiscal 2022. Upgrades
will begin in 2019 and the Super
Hornets will receive a series of
modi cations designed to keep the
eet relevant and e ective against
advanced threats.
The upgrades include an
advanced network architecture
cockpit that will provide a large 10 x
19in high-de nition display with
touch-screen and picture-in-picture,
a more powerful computer calledthe distributed targeting processor
network (DTPN), and the tactical
targeting network technology
(TTNT) internet protocol-based,
high-speed datalink that will
increase its ability to transmit and
receive data to other platforms. The
equipment will make the Super
Hornet a ‘smart node’ in the navy’s
integrated re control counter-air
(NIFC-CA) network.
The aircraft will also receive
advanced signature enhancements
designed to reduce the airframe’s
radar signature and a new long-
range IRST will be integrated.
The Super Hornets will receive
conformal fuel tanks (CFTs) that
will replace the aircraft’s existing
external tanks, extend its range
by 100-120nm (185-224km)
and enable it to carry additional
payloads. The airframes will be
delivered with a 9,000-hour
service life. Block III will initially
be introduced in new aircraft
on the production line but will
be followed by the Block II to III
conversion. The service plans to
upgrade around 450 Block II ghters
beginning in 2022.An F/A-18C of
NAWDC at NAS
Fallon.
Jamie HunterUS NAVY & MARINE CORPS AIR POWER YEARBOOK 2018
US NAVY AIR POWER 2018^7566-85 US Navy Review C.indd 75 01/06/2018 10:11