VFA-2

Strike Fighter Squadron Two

VFA-2 Insignia
Active 1 October 1972
Country  United States of America
Branch United States Navy
Type Fighter/Attack
Role Close air support
Air interdiction
Aerial reconnaissance
Part of Carrier Air Wing 2
Garrison/HQ Naval Air Station Lemoore
Nickname(s) "Bounty Hunters"
Colors Red, white, blue
Equipment F/A-18F Super Hornet
Engagements Operation Frequent Wind
Iranian Hostage Crisis
Operation Desert Storm
Operation Southern Watch
Operation Enduring Freedom
Operation Iraqi Freedom
Operation Unified Assistance
Decorations Battle Efficiency "E"
Commanders
Current
commander		 Commander Shawn C. Kirlin
Aircraft flown
Fighter F/A-18F Super Hornet

Strike Fighter Squadron 2 (VFA-2) also known as the "Bounty Hunters" is a United States Navy F/A-18F Super Hornet strike fighter squadron based at Naval Air Station Lemoore, California. Their tail code is NE and their callsign is "Bullet". The Bounty Hunters are attached to Carrier Air Wing 2 (CVW-2), a composite unit made up of a wide array of aircraft performing a variety of combat and support missions that deploy aboard the Carl Vinson.

History

Four distinct squadrons have been designated VF-2. Officially, the US Navy does not recognize a direct lineage with disestablished squadrons if a new squadron is formed with the same designation.[1]Often, the new squadron will assume the nickname, insignia, and traditions of the earlier squadrons.

1970s

VF-2 F-14As aboard Enterprise during their first deployment, 1975

VF-2, now known as the "Bounty Hunters," was established on 14 October 1972 flying the F-14A Tomcat.

VF-2 completed aircrew training and received its first Tomcats in July 1973, attaining full strength of 12 F-14As in the spring of 1974. The Bounty Hunters was the first Tactical Air Reconnaissance Pod System (TARPS) unit for both CVW-14 and later CVW-2.

VF-2's initial deployment was in 1974 with her sister squadron VF-1 aboard Enterprise. The squadron flew over Saigon in support of Operation Frequent Wind, the evacuation of US personnel in April, 1975.

1980s

VF-2 was assigned to USS Ranger (CVA-61) for the September 1980 deployment, 4 months of which were spent in the Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf during the Iran hostage crisis.

They deployed aboard USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63) in 1984 and returned for multiple Ranger deployments throughout the '80's.

On 2 June 1984, VF-2 became the first squadron to launch an F-14 from an aircraft carrier while towing an air-to-air gunnery target. In 1987, the squadron logged Ranger’s 260,000th landing.

1990s

A VF-2 F-14D landing aboard Constellation, in 2003

The unit participated in Operation Desert Storm, flying over 500 combat mission from Ranger operating in the Persian Gulf. VF-2 performed escort, reconnaissance and Combat Air Patrol (CAP) missions. After the 1992-1993 cruise, Ranger was decommissioned (along with VF-2’s sister squadron VF-1), and VF-2 was switched to the Constellation. At the same time, VF-2 transitioned to the F-14D Tomcat. Several months after the 1995 cruise, VF-2 was awarded the battle "E" and relocated from NAS Miramar to NAS Oceana due to a Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) decision to make Miramar a Marine Corps Air Station. In April 1996, VF-2 Tomcats were modified to carry the LANTIRN infrared targeting pod, giving them precision strike capabilities.

During their 1999 cruise, VF-2 supported Operation Southern Watch and on September 9, attacked Surface-to-Air Missile sites and anti-aircraft guns around Basra. The same day, a VF-2 Tomcat engaged 2 Iraqi MiG-23’s that were heading south into the No-Fly Zone from Al Taqaddum airbase, west of Baghdad with AIM-54 Phoenixes. The missile did not score as the MiGs turned north once they detected the Phoenix launch.

2000s

VFA-2 F/A-18Fs aboard Abraham Lincoln, in 2005

In the summer of 2001, VF-2 deployed aboard Constellation in support of Operation Southern Watch.

During the 2002-2003 deployment, the final cruise with the Tomcat, VF-2 participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom flying a wide range of missions including, reconnaissance, Close Air Support, Combat Air Patrol and strike missions. On February 28, 2003, during Operation Southern Watch, a VF-2 aircraft delivered the 1st Tomcat JDAM in combat. During this deployment, VF-2 flew 483 sorties and dropped 294 Laser-guided bomb's/JDAM/MK-82 bombs.

On 1 July 2003, VF-2 was redesignated VFA-2, and began transition to the F/A-18F Super Hornet. On 6 October 2003, VFA-2 took delivery of its first Super Hornet.

VFA-2 deployed to the Western Pacific aboard Abraham Lincoln with CVW-2 in October, 2004. They returned in March 2005 after supporting Operation Unified Assistance which provided humanitarian support to Southeast Asia after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.

In 2006, VFA-2 and CVW-2 embarked on a WESTPAC deployment.

On 13 March 2008, VFA-2 embarked with CVW-2 aboard Abraham Lincoln on a 7-month deployment to the Persian Gulf, returning home on 8 October.

2010s

Between 24–31 March 2006, during Foal Eagle 2006 exercises, strike squadrons VFA-2, VFA-34, VFA-137, and VFA-151 from Carrier Air Wing Two teamed with U.S. Air Force aircraft from the 18th Wing based at Kadena Air Base to provide combat air patrols and coordinated bombing runs via the exercise’s Combined Air Operations Center.[2]

On 11 September 2010, VFA-2 deployed with CVW-2 aboard USS Abraham Lincoln to the Arabian Sea and Persian Gulf.[3]

The Bounty Hunters have transitioned to newer Block II F/A-18F Super Hornet's equipped with the AESA radar.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Current Naval Aviation Squadron Lineages". History.navy.mil. 6 January 1998. Archived from the original on March 3, 2013. Retrieved 26 March 2013.
  2. ↑ Yoder, M. Jeremie (27 March 2006). "Lincoln Wraps Up Successful Exercise, Heads for Port" (Press release). Navy.mil. Retrieved 26 March 2013.
  3. ↑ Raelson, Greg D. (13 September 2010). "Lincoln Carrier Strike Group Conducts Training During Transit West" (Press release). Navy.mil. Retrieved 26 March 2013.

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Monday, March 07, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.