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| Strike Fighter Squadron 27 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Active | 1 September 1967 - present |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Navy |
| Type | Fighter/Attack |
| Role | Close air support Air interdiction Aerial reconnaissance |
| Part of |  Carrier Air Wing Five |
| Garrison/HQ | MCAS Iwakuni |
| Nickname(s) | Royal Maces |
| Engagements | Vietnam War Operation Eagle Claw Operation Earnest Will Operation Restore Hope Operation Southern Watch *January 1993 airstrikes on Iraq 1994 North Korean nuclear crisis Operation Enduring Freedom Iraq War |
| Commanders | |
| Commanding Officer | CDR James Mcmillan |
| Executive Officer | CDR Matthew Warshaw |
| Command Master Chief | CMDCM Christian Vardeleon |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Attack | A-7 Corsair II |
| Fighter | F/A-18A/C (N) Hornet F/A-18E Super Hornet |
Strike Fighter Squadron 27 (VFA-27), also known as the "Royal Maces", are aUnited States NavyF/A-18E Super Hornet fighter squadron stationed atMarine Corps Air Station Iwakuni. They are a part ofCarrier Air Wing 5 and are attached to theaircraft carrierUSS George Washington. Theirtail code isNF.
The squadron conducts carrier-based air strike and strike force escort missions, anti-ship operations, battle group anti-air operations, and surveillance/intelligence collection operations in support of Carrier Air Wing 5 tasking and requirements. The squadron is permanently forward deployed with Carrier Air Wing 5, shore based at MCAS Iwakuni.
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The squadron was commissioned Attack Squadron 27 (VA-27) on 1 September 1967 flying theA-7 Corsair II, and in January 1968, the squadron officially reported toCarrier Air Wing 14. In May 1968, as theVietnam War continued, they departed for their first combat deployment aboardUSS Constellation. On 28 June 1968, the squadron flew its first combat sortie, striking targets in the panhandle region ofNorth Vietnam.
The squadron's insignia was approved by theChief of Naval Operations on 25 March 1968, and consisted of a light blue glove and black mace. They were nicknamed theRoyal Maces.
During a second combat cruise aboardConstellation in August 1969, VA-27 flew over 2,500 combat sorties.
VA-27 transitioned to the newer A-7E on 20 June 1970. From 4 February to 7 March, VA-27 embarked onUSS Enterprise during the carrier's transit around Cape Horn to her new home port inNAS Alameda, California, and then deployed onEnterprise from 11 June 1971 to 12 February 1972, the squadron made its third combat cruise. With the outbreak of theIndo-Pakistani War of 1971 in December 1971,Enterprise departedYankee Station and made a quick transit to theIndian Ocean to provide support for the evacuation of foreign civilians. Squadron pilots amassed over 4,400 combat flight hours and participated in over 1,500 air strikes over Indochina without loss.
The squadron commenced their fourth combat deployment in September 1972 aboardEnterprise, participating inLinebacker I andLinebacker II operations, heavy air strikes against targets in North Vietnam to interdict the flow of supplies in that country and into South Vietnam. The squadron began its next deployment to the Western Pacific in September 1974. In April 1975, the squadron flew surveillance missions over Vietnam and flew escort forUnited States Marine Corps andUnited States Air Force helicopters duringOperation Frequent Wind, the evacuation of American and Vietnamese personnel from Saigon
In April 1980, VA-27 participated in theIranian hostage rescue attempt by providing air cover for the forces directly involved in the rescue operation.
In August 1986, the squadron participated in the first carrier tactical flight operations in theBering Sea since the end ofWorld War II.
USS Carl Vinson andCVW-15, with VA-27 attached, departed for the ship's fourth overseas deployment on 15 June 1988. While on station, the carrier supportedOperation Earnest Will, the escort of U.S. flaggedtankers in thePersian Gulf.
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While stationed atNaval Air Station Lemoore, California the squadron transitioned to theF/A-18A Hornet on 24 January 1991 and were officially re-designated Strike Fighter Squadron 27 (VFA-27). The squadron also changed roles as well as aircraft and were now a fighter/attack squadron, performing air-to-air as well as air-to-ground attack missions. The Squadron emblem was also changed to a green background, white cloud, and silver gauntlet with silver mace.
In November 1992, while deployed aboardUSS Kitty Hawk, VFA-27 operated off the coast ofSomalia in support ofOperation Restore Hope and augmentedUnited States Central Command’s multi-national coalition Air Forces supportingOperation Southern Watch. The squadron participated in acoalition night strike against Iraq on 13 January 1993, delivering over 18,000 pounds of ordnance on target. In 1994 VFA-27 deployed aboardUSSKitty Hawk to the Sea of Japan. In 1996 the squadron commenced their homeport change from NAS Lemoore to NAF Atsugi, Japan deploying aboardUSS Independence.
In the wake of theSeptember 11 attacks, the squadron participated inOperation Enduring Freedom flying missions against theAl Qaeda infrastructure andTaliban forces inAfghanistan as well as protecting assets inDiego Garcia. WhenKitty Hawk deployed to thePersian Gulf in support ofOperation Iraqi Freedom, VFA-27 was soon heavily involved in combat. As part ofCarrier Air Wing 5, VFA-27 attacked command, control and communications sites, surface-to-surface missile batteries and an air traffic control radar nearBasrah. At the Al Faw peninsula long range artillery guns and 155mmhowitzers nearAz Zubayr were targeted. The squadron flew hundreds ofclose air support and strike sorties against Iraqi forces. VFA-27 completed their transition to theF/A-18E Super Hornet in October 2004 at NAS Lemoore.
In February of 2013, the Royal Maces executed a trans-Pacific journey to accept new Lot 34 and 35 F/A-18E Super Hornets to maintain their superior technological abilities in the U.S. Navy's Pacific Fleet. In February of 2015, the squadron's tactical prowess was recognized by their being awarded the COMNAVAIRPAC Battle "E",[1] highlighted by their "training and operational achievements" and the viral teaser of their full-length cruise video "Shoot 'em if you got 'em",[2] which was received with wide acclaim,[3] and has been sampled in several U.S. Navy recruiting advertisements[4] as well as has been added to the National Archives as a piece of Naval Heritage having garnered over 3,000,000 views on Youtube.com since its initial publication as well as untold numbers of views across numerous ancillary internet sites, although the original video has since been made private.
| 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 |
| ||||
| Unmanned (VUP) | |||||
| Training (VT) | |||||
| Helicopter Mine Countermeasures (HM) | |||||
| Helicopter Sea Combat (HSC) | |||||
| Helicopter Maritime Strike (HSM) | |||||
| Helicopter Training (HT) | |||||
