A Visit to the Flying Eagles… Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 122
Story and photography by Peter Boschert
The Flying Eagles were formed in January 1999 as Strike Fighter Squadron 122 (VFA-122), the first squadron to use the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.
The squadron has a long history, formed in May 1950 and from November 1966 the squadron also began training A-7 Corsair pilots. VA-147 was the first squadron whose pilots were trained by the Flying Eagles. On 30 June 1988, VA-122 also took over training for the East Coast after VA-174 was deactivated, thus training all A-7 pilots. By the time it was deactivated in May 1991, the squadron had trained and graduated over 5,000 light attack pilots and over 55,000 highly trained maintenance personnel.
On October 1, 2010, VFA-125 “Rough Raiders” (the “old” F / A-18 Hornet FRS, also stationed at NAS Lemoore) was deactivated, and the squadron’s aircraft and personnel were incorporated into VFA-122. The merger was intended to reduce administrative costs and streamline production in anticipation of the phasing out of the “old” F/A-18 Hornet by the Super Hornet and F-35 Lightning II in the coming years. The merged squadron retained the insignia of the Flying Eagles and the Rough Raiders of VFA-125 were disabled. The squadron was reactivated on 12 January 2017 at NAS Lemoore as the West Coast F-35C Lightning II FRS. It received its first aircraft on January 25, 2017. The aircraft were transferred from VFA-101 “Grim Reapers”, which in May 2012 activated the first F-35C squadron.
As the West Coast Hornet and Super Hornet Fleet Replacement Squadron, the squadron is tasked with training Navy and Marine Corps F/A-18A/B/C/D/E/F Replacement Pilots and Weapon Systems Officers (WSOs) to support fleet commitments. Every 6 weeks, a class of 8–12 newly winged naval pilots and naval flight officers begin the 9-month training course, where they learn the fundamentals of air-to-air and air-to-ground missions and enter into day/night carrier qualification and subsequent assignment to fleet Hornet squadrons.
Aircraft crews returning from non-flying missions will be refreshed on VFA-122 “Flying Eagles” before returning to the fleet. In addition, VFA-122 (with the help of the Center of Naval Aviation Technical Training Unit: CNATTTU) trains maintenance personnel and provides fleet units with replacement aircraft.
Currently, VFA-122 has approximately 225 officers, 408 enlisted men and over 50 aircraft. At the moment, the Flying Eagles Super Hornets Block I and II are flying. The squadron often dispatches aircraft to Naval Air Station Fallon, Nevada, and the Naval Air Facility in El Centro, California, as well as to various aircraft carriers for Carrier Qualifications (CQ).
The Flying Eagles should also be known to air show visitors, as they are the US Navy Demo Team of the West Coast with their Super Hornets.
A big thank you to Jessica Nilsson (Public Affairs Officer) who supported me during my day-long visit.
