| Strike Fighter Squadron 213 | |
|---|---|
 VFA-213 insignia | |
| Active | 22 June 1955; 70 years ago (1955-06-22) |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Navy |
| Type | Fighter/Attack |
| Role | Close air support Air interdiction Aerial reconnaissance |
| Part of |  Carrier Air Wing Eight |
| Garrison/HQ |  NAS Oceana |
| Nickname | "Blacklions" |
| Motto | Audentes Fortuna Juvat ("Fortune Favors the Bold") |
| Engagements | Second Taiwan Strait Crisis Vietnam War Operation Praying Mantis Operation Classic Resolve Operation Restore Hope Operation Southern Watch Operation Desert Fox Operation Enduring Freedom Iraq War Operation Inherent Resolve |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander | CDR Kevin Swift |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Fighter | F2H Banshee F4D Skyray F3H Demon F-4 Phantom II F-14 Tomcat F/A-18F Super Hornet |
Strike Fighter Squadron 213 (VF-213)-(VFA-213), also known as the Blacklions, is a renownedUnited States Navy fighter squadron. Established in 1955, the squadron operated a variety of aircraft over its history, beginning with theMcDonnell F2H Banshee. Subsequent aircraft included theMcDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II and theGrumman F-14 Tomcat, which they flew until their transition over to theF/A-18F Super Hornet.
Fighter Squadron Two One Three (VF-213) was established on 22 June 1955 atNAS Moffett Field,California. The first cruise was aboardUSS Bon Homme Richard flying theF2H Banshee. When they returned, they transitioned to theF4D Skyray which they flew for two deployments onUSS Lexington. They then transitioned to theF3H Demon, which gave the squadron the capability to fire the newly deployedAIM-7 Sparrow air-to-air missile. VF-213 deployed next for a third cruise aboard USSLexington.
In June 1961, VF-213 moved toNAS Miramar, which became their home for the next 36 years. Three years later, in February 1964, VF-213 accepting the first of their newF-4B Phantom IIs.
In November 1965, VFA-213 joinedAttack Carrier Air Wing 11 (CVW-11) and made 9 deployments to Vietnam and the Western Pacific aboardUSS Kitty Hawk as follows:[1]
In September 1976, VF-213 began the transition to theF-14A Tomcat. The first cruise with the F-14 was with CVW-11 aboard USSKitty Hawk in October 1977. After theKitty Hawk cruise, the carrier air wing switched toUSS America and took part in twoMediterranean cruises in 1979 with John Monroe "Hawk" Smith as CO[5] and 1981.
In December 1981, VF-213 added a new mission as they began training with the Tactical Air Reconnaissance Pod System (TARPS) and in September 1982, VF-213 deployed aboardUSS Enterprise. DuringIndian Ocean operations, the squadron achieved a new milestone by flying the longest Tomcat flight from a carrier on a 1,775-mile (2,857 km) TARPS mission.
In 1985, they were mobilized for the filming ofTop Gun on theUSS Enterprise (CVN-65) for takeoffs & landings andAIM-9 Sidewinder &AIM-7 Sparrow firing scenes.
On 24 January 1986 they were deployed withUSS Enterprise (CVN-65) to the Western Pacific and theIndian Ocean, where VF-213 often interceptedSoviet and Indian aircraft. During this deployment, tensions between the U.S. andLibya escalated, necessitating the decision to move USSEnterprise through theSuez Canal to the Mediterranean Sea. Upon arrival in theGulf of Sidra CVW-11 aircraft flew patrols for two months, although encounters with Libyan aircraft were rare. The ship transited theStrait of Gibraltar and around theCape of Good Hope before continuing ontoPerth,Australia and across the Pacific to their home port.
1988 saw VF-213 flying cover overreflagged oil tankers in thePersian Gulf and participating inOperation Praying Mantis. In 1990 VF-213 and the rest of the air wing switched aircraft carriers toUSS Abraham Lincoln. The first cruise on USSAbraham Lincoln was a six-week transit fromNAS Norfolk toNAS Alameda, viaCape Horn.
The squadron won the "BOOLA BOOLA" award in March 1989 for their professional completion of all missile test firings. In late 1989, VF-213 and CVW-11 went around the world on USSEnterprise for a WESTPAC deployment ending at NAS Norfolk for refurbishment. In December 1989, the squadron participated inOperation Classic Resolve on theEnterprise, providing support for the Philippine government during a coup attempt.
The squadron deployed to WestPac on USSAbraham Lincoln in May 1991 in support of UNsanctions against Iraq. VF-213 flew combat air patrol and TARPS missions, recording the devastation of Kuwait oil fields. In 1993, VF-213 became the sole F-14 squadron onAbraham Lincoln. That same year, VF-213 flew in support ofOperation Restore Hope inSomalia andOperation Southern Watch over Iraq.
Kara Hultgreen, the first qualified female F-14 pilot in the US Navy, was assigned to VF-213, and on 25 October 1994, her F-14 crashed while on approach to USSAbraham Lincoln. Both she and herRIO ejected, but only the RIO survived.
The 1995 WestPac cruise again saw the squadron flying over the skies of southern Iraq. In 1996, VF-213 moved to USSKitty Hawk for the 1996–1997 WESTPAC deployment. During this deployment VF-213 fired twenty sixAIM-54 Phoenix and sixAIM-9 Sidewinder missiles, including one event where six planes launched twelve Phoenix missiles. These mass firings were conducted to reduce the numbers of older Phoenix missiles in inventory, as they were being removed from service.
After the 1997 cruise, VF-213 moved fromNAS Miramar toNAS Oceana and transitioned to the F-14D Super Tomcat, becoming the fourth F-14 squadron to receive the D model.
In 1998 they moved toUSS Carl Vinson, and began work-ups for their next cruise. During the 1998-1999 deployment, VF-213 was the first squadron to fire an AIM-54C Phoenix with the aircrew onnight vision goggles. Two months into the deployment, VF-213 participated inOperation Desert Fox, which was the Navy's largest combat evolution since the Gulf War. This successful deployment included the longest combat line period in over 25 years.[6] F-14Ds from VF-213, as well as the rest of the embarked carrier air wing aboard USSCarl Vinson, joined other US air assets in the final strikes of that operation.[7] Highlights of the cruise included the execution of 19 strikes, dropping 20 laser-guided bombs, supporting 11 combined strikes, flying 70 missions, and logging 230 combat sorties, including 45 reconnaissance missions imaging more than 580 targets.
On 5 January 1999, two F-14Ds on patrol over Iraq were directed to intercept two IraqiMiG-25s south of the "no fly zone". The Tomcats fired two AIM-54 missiles, the first ever Phoenix combat-launch by the US Navy. The Iraqi jets turned north and the missiles fell short of their targets.[8] VF-213/CVW-11 returned home in the spring of 1999.
After theSeptember 11 attacks, USSCarl Vinson with CVW-11 was the second carrier battle group after Enterprise on station in the North Arabian Sea, preparing for attacks againstAfghanistan. On 7 October 2001 during a CVW-11 strike, VF-213 dropped the first bombs ofOperation Enduring Freedom (OEF) on anSA-3 site nearKabul International Airport.[9] VF-213 also conducted reconnaissance, utilizing their TARPS pods, and also provided laser weapon guidance forF/A-18 Hornets and GPS weapons coordinates for Hornets and USAF strike aircraft.[10] During the ten weeks VF-213 were supporting OEF they flew over 500 combat sorties, over 2600 combat flight hours and expended 435,000 pounds of ordnance[11] and provided reconnaissance with their TARPS pods. VF-213 was also the first F-14 unit to use its internal20 mm cannon in combat during theBattle of Mazar e Sharif[12] VF-213 received the 2001 Commander Naval Air Pacific Fleet Battle "E", Chief of Naval Operations (CNO)Safety "S",Clifton Award and the Commander Fighter Wing Atlantic Golden Wrench for their performance in 2001.[6]
After the 2001 cruise ended in 2002, VF-213 changed air wings from CVW-11 to CVW-8. On 22 March 2003, VF-213 deployed aboardUSS Theodore Roosevelt to theMediterranean Sea in support ofOperation Iraqi Freedom. During the war VF-213 would fly 198 strike, combat air patrol and ground forces support missions, delivering 102laser-guided bombs and 94JDAM bombs.
VF-213 was paired up withVF-31 for the 2005–2006 final F-14 Tomcat cruise on board USSTheodore Roosevelt. During the cruise, VF-213 and VF-31 receivedROVER upgrades to their aircraft, enabling them to transmit real-time images from their LANTIRN sensor to ground operators. VF-31 and 213 collectively completed 1,163 combat sorties, and dropped 9,500 pounds of ordnance during reconnaissance, surveillance, and close air support missions in support of OIF.
On 10 March 2006, VF-213 returned to NAS Oceana after the final F-14 cruise. All 22 Tomcats flew together in a wedge formation over NAS Oceana.
VF-213 began their transition to theF/A-18F Super Hornet in April 2006 and was re-designatedVFA-213 on 2 April 2006. VFA-213 was the first Super Hornet squadron to flyAESA-equipped Super Hornets.[13] VFA-213 became the first squadron to receive Dual-Cockpit Cueing System for both pilot andnaval flight officer, retrofitted with an aft cockpitJoint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS), on 18 May 2007.[14]
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On 13 May 2008 an F/A-18F from the squadron operating from USSTheodore Roosevelt accidentally dropped a 500-pound laser-guided bomb three miles (4.8 km) outside of thePinecastle bombing range near theOcala National Forest. The bomb explosion started a wildfire which burned 257 acres (1.04 km2) of vegetation. No one was injured in the blaze, but the emergency response cost $342,946. A Navy investigation determined that technical misunderstandings and crew fatigue contributed to the mishap. The two crew members of the jet were later returned to flying status after a board review.[15]
VFA-213, along with CVW-8 and USSTheodore Roosevelt, participated in Joint Task Force Exercise 08-4 Operation Brimstone off the coast ofNorth Carolina between 21 and 31 July 2008. The British carrierHMS Ark Royal, the amphibious assault shipIwo Jima with associated units, theBrazilian Navy frigateGreenhalgh, and the French submarineAméthyste also participated in the event.[16]
On 8 September 2008, VFA-213 and the rest of CVW-8 deployed on board USSTheodore Roosevelt on a regularly scheduled deployment.[17] On 4 October theRoosevelt Carrier Group arrived inCape Town,South Africa, the first visit by a US aircraft carrier since 1967 and three days later the carrier left Cape Town.[18] CVW-8 and CVN-71 supported Operation Enduring Freedom and flew more than 3,100 sorties and dropped more than 59,500 pounds of ordnance while providing close air support forISAF-forces in Afghanistan.
On 11 May 2011, the squadrons of CVW-8 embarked onUSS George H.W. Bush's maiden deployment, scheduled to conduct operations in the US5th and6th Fleet areas of operations.[19]
On 27 January 2017, VFA-213 departed on a combat deployment in support of Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR), embarked on board USSGeorge H. W. Bush. From 10 February 2017 to 9 March 2017, the command conducted OIR combat operations from the Mediterranean Sea. VFA-213 resumed combat operations on 23 March 2017 from the Persian Gulf until 22 May 2017.
In January 2018, VFA-213 participated in the initial flight deck certification for the US Navy's newest aircraft carrier,USS Gerald R. Ford.
On 14 March 2018, a Super Hornet from VFA-213 crashed near Key West killing the pilot and naval flight officer.[20]
During April and May 2018, the squadrons of CVW-8 conducted joint operations with French Naval Forces out of NAS Oceana. Following those operations, the air wing and French aircraft embarked on USSGeorge H. W. Bush, conducting strike missions.
In September 2018, VFA-213 attended the Naval Weapons Systems Evaluation Program (NWSEP) out ofTyndall Air Force Base, Florida, with a five aircraft detachment. During the detachment, VFA-213 employed 19 air-to-air missiles, including nine AIM-7 Sparrows, seven AIM-9M Sidewinders, one AIM-9X Sidewinder, and two AIM-9X Block II Sidewinders. Subsequently, the command earned the 2018 Commander, Naval Air Forces Atlantic Grand Slam award for demonstrating the highest capability to maintain and utilize air-to-air missile weapons systems.
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VF-213 is prominently featured and referenced in the movieTop Gun, which opens with footage of F-14s from VF-213 andVF-114 taking off on the USSEnterprise. A fictional depiction of VF-213 appears in the movie as the squadron of characters Tom "Iceman" Kazansky and Ron "Slider" Kerner (played byVal Kilmer andRick Rossovich respectively). Despite the fictional squadron's designation, it uses the insignia design ofVFA-25, a squadron which never flew the F-14 in real life.[21][22] Conversely, Top Gun instructor Rick "Jester" Heatherly (portrayed byMichael Ironside) wears a squadron patch featuring the VF-213 Blacklion emblem and the designation VF-114, along with a helmet decorated in VF-213's dark blue with gold stars.[23][24]
| Electronic Attack (VAQ) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carrier Airborne Early Warning (VAW) | |||||
| Strike Fighter (VFA) | |||||
| Fleet Air Reconnaissance (VQ) | |||||
| Fleet Fighter Composite (VFC) | |||||
| Fleet Logistics Support (VR) | |||||
| Carrier Fleet Logistics Support (VRC) | |||||
| Carrier Fleet Logistics Multi-Mission (VRM) | |||||
| Patrol |
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| Unmanned (VUP) | |||||
| Training (VT) | |||||
| Helicopter Mine Countermeasures (HM) | |||||
| Helicopter Sea Combat (HSC) | |||||
| Helicopter Maritime Strike (HSM) | |||||
| Helicopter Training (HT) | |||||
