Joint Strike Fighter Wing

Joint Strike Fighter Wing
Joint Strike Fighter Wing
Active	1 October 2018 - Present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Navy
Type	Fighter/Attack
Role	Type Wing
Garrison/HQ	NAS Lemoore
Motto(s)	"Victoria per Furtim" (Latin for "Victory through Stealth")
Website	https://www.airpac.navy.mil/Organization/Joint-Strike-Fighter-Wing/
Commanders
Commander	CPT. Barrett "Farva" Smith
Command Master Chief	CMDCM. Andres R. Rallojay
Aircraft flown
Fighter	F-35C Lightning II

Last updated December 05, 2024

Joint Strike Fighter Wing (JSFW) (aka COMJSFWING or JSFWING) is the U.S. Navy's Fifth-generation fighter squadron wing. It oversees 4 squadrons that all fly the F-35C Lightning II. The wing, based at Naval Air Station Lemoore in California, is also home to the West Coast F-35C Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS) VFA-125, which is the only F-35C FRS in the US Navy. It trains pilots in the jet before they get to be assigned to operational fleet squadrons.

History

The Joint Strike Fighter Wing was established on 1 October 2018 at NAS Lemoore under Commander, Joint Strike Fighter Wing, to oversee training and mission readiness of all F-35C squadrons as the US Navy increased its inventory of that aircraft.^[1] It was established around the same time that VFA-125 and VFA-147 were transitioned to the F-35C Lightning II.^[2] The mission statement of JSFW is to resource and deliver combat-ready JSF squadrons to Carrier Air Wing Commanders to conduct carrier and shore-based Strike Warfare missions as directed by Theater and Fleet Commanders.^[3]

Mission

When it was first established in 2018, the initial objective of JSFW was to get VFA-147 ready for operational testing and for its upcoming Initial Operational Capability (IOC) declaration.^[1] The unit passed all testing and achieved IOC on 28 February 2019.^[4] JSFWING's current broad mission is to provide the US Navy Carrier Air Wings (CVWs) with combat-ready Fifth-generation fighter squadrons. Currently, the only aircraft the US Navy flies that classifies as a 5th generation fighter is the F-35C Lightning II. The wing trains the pilots in its squadrons for Electronic attack and Strike fighter missions. JSFW is in charge of operating F-35C Fleet Replacement Squadrons. The only F-35C FRS is currently VFA-125 based at NAS Lemoore. JSFW has also been tasked with meeting Naval Aviation Enterprise requirements to qualify its aircraft as Ready for Tasking (RFT).^[3] RFT is similar to the classification of Full Mission Capable (FMC) but is less demanding and only requires that a fraction of all aircraft in the command can perform a given mission at a time. For example, a F/A-18E/F Super Hornet on a precision strike mission could be designated as RFT even if it would not be able to perform aerial refueling, another of its missions, on the same flight.^[5]

Assigned units

Joint Strike Fighter Wing exercises command over 4 operational squadrons and 1 FRS squadron (VFA-125).^[3] The squadrons in the following list are organized chronologically from top to bottom based on when they transitioned to the F-35C Lightning II. The year they became a F-35C squadron is listed in parentheses.^[2]^[6]

VFA-125 "Rough Raiders" (2017)
VFA-147 "Argonauts" (2018)
VFA-97 "Warhawks" (2021)
VFA-86 "Sidewinders" (2023)
VFA-115 "Eagles" (2024)

Related Research Articles

Strike Fighter Squadron 25 (VFA-25) is an aviation unit of the United States Navy based at Naval Air Station Lemoore, California. The squadron flies the Boeing F/A-18E Super Hornet and is currently assigned to Carrier Air Wing 11. Its callsign is Fist.

Strike Fighter Squadron 86 (VFA-86) is a strike fighter squadron of the United States Navy. It is equipped with the F-35C Lightning II and is stationed at Naval Air Station Lemoore, California. The squadron is nicknamed "Sidewinders", leading to the call sign Winder. The unit is currently assigned to Joint Strike Fighter Wing.

Naval Air Station Lemoore or NAS Lemoore is a United States Navy base, located in Kings County and Fresno County, California, United States. Lemoore Station, a census-designated place, is located inside the base's borders.

A carrier air wing is an operational naval aviation organization composed of several aircraft squadrons and detachments of various types of fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft. Organized, equipped and trained to conduct modern US Navy carrier air operations while embarked aboard aircraft carriers, the various squadrons in an air wing have different but complementary missions, and provide most of the striking power and electronic warfare capabilities of a carrier battle group (CVBG). While the CVBG term is still used by other nations, the CVBG in US parlance is now known as a carrier strike group (CSG).

Strike Fighter Squadron 147 (VFA-147), also known as the "Argonauts," is a United States Navy strike fighter squadron that is currently being transferred to MCAS Iwaukuni, Japan. VFA-147 was established on 1 February 1967 and flies the F-35C Lightning II, becoming the first non-training F-35 squadron in the U.S. Navy and will become the first forward-deployed F-35 squadron.

Carrier Air Wing Nine (CVW-9) is a United States Navy aircraft carrier air wing based at Naval Air Station Lemoore. The Air Wing is currently assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72). The Tail Code of aircraft assigned to CVW-9 is NG.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">VFA-101</span> Military unit

Strike Fighter Squadron 101 (VFA-101), also known as the "Grim Reapers", was a United States Navy Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS) based at Eglin AFB, Florida. After the West Coast FRS for the F-14 Tomcat, VF-124, was disestablished in the mid-1990s, VF-101 became the sole F-14 FRS. At the time it was based at NAS Oceana in Virginia. With the retirement of the F-14, VF-101 was deactivated in 2005. It was reactivated in 2012 and redesignated Strike Fighter Squadron 101 (VFA-101). It was one of two F-35C Lightning II FRS before being deactivated in 2019. It was based at Eglin AFB, Florida with the joint 33d Fighter Wing, as a subordinate unit of the U.S. Navy's Strike Fighter Wing, U.S. Pacific Fleet.

Strike Fighter Squadron 97 (VFA-97) is a naval aviation squadron of the United States Navy. It is equipped with the F-35C Lightning II and is stationed at Naval Air Station Lemoore. The squadron is nicknamed "Warhawks" and it is currently assigned to Carrier Air Wing Two, tail code "NE". The squadron was originally established as Attack Squadron 97 (VA-97) on 1 June 1967 and redesignated VFA-97 on 24 January 1991.

Strike Fighter Squadron 115 (VFA-115) is known as the "Eagles", callsign "Talon", a United States Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet strike fighter squadron stationed at Naval Air Station Lemoore. Their tail code while they were assigned to CVW-5 before July 2024 was NF. It was established as Torpedo Squadron VT-11 on 10 October 1942, redesignated VA-12A on 15 November 1946, VA-115 on 15 July 1948, then finally VFA-115.

Strike Fighter Squadron 94 (VFA-94), also known as the Mighty Shrikes, is a United States Navy fighter squadron stationed at Naval Air Station Lemoore. It is an operational fleet squadron currently flying the F/A-18E Super Hornet. It is attached to Carrier Air Wing 17 and based at NAS Lemoore, California. Its tail code is "NA" and its radio call sign is "Hobo".

Strike Fighter Squadron 113 (VFA-113), also known as the "Stingers," is a United States Navy strike fighter squadron based at Naval Air Station Lemoore, California. They are an operational fleet F/A-18E Super Hornet squadron attached to Carrier Air Wing 2 (CVW-2) and based at NAS Lemoore, California. Their tailcode is NE and their radio callsign is Sting.

Strike Fighter Squadron 106 (VFA-106), also known as the "Gladiators", is a United States Navy F/A-18 Hornet and F/A-18E/F Super Hornet Fleet Replacement Squadron stationed at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia.

Strike Fighter Squadron 125 (VFA-125), also known as the "Rough Raiders", is a United States Navy strike fighter squadron based at Naval Air Station Lemoore, California. The "Rough Raiders" are a Fleet Replacement Squadron flying the F-35C Lightning II.

Strike Fighter Squadron 192 (VFA-192), also known as the "World Famous Golden Dragons", are a United States Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet fighter squadron stationed at NAS Lemoore.

Strike Fighter Squadron 136 (VFA-136) also known as the "Knighthawks" is a United States Navy strike fighter squadron based at Naval Air Station Lemoore, California. The "Knighthawks" are an operational fleet squadron flying the F/A-18E Super Hornet. They are homeported at NAS Lemoore and are currently assigned to Carrier Air Wing One, tail code AB. Their radio callsign is Gunstar.

Fighter Squadron Composite 111 (VFC-111), also known as the "Sun Downers", is a United States Navy Reserve adversary squadron based at Naval Air Station Key West, Florida. Currently, it operates Northrop F-5N/F Tiger-IIs, of which most are single-seater F-5Ns and one twin-seater F-5F, the "FrankenTiger".

Strike Fighter Squadron 122 (VFA-122), also known as the "Flying Eagles", are a United States Navy F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and F/A-18 Hornet Fleet Replacement Squadron stationed at Naval Air Station Lemoore.

Strike Fighter Wing, U.S. Atlantic Fleet (SFWL) is the U.S. Navy's largest type wing with 18 squadrons flying more than 300 aircraft composed of six different variants of the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet and Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. The wing, based at NAS Oceana, is also home to the east coast F/A-18 Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS) which trains pilots and Weapon Systems Officers (WSOs) in the Hornet and Super Hornet before they are assigned to operational fleet squadrons. The fleet squadrons deploy as part of carrier air wings (CVWs) on aircraft carriers on both the east and west coasts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Naval Air Force Atlantic</span> Type Command for U.S. Naval air forces operating primarily in the Atlantic

The Commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic is the aviation Type Commander (TYCOM) for the United States Naval aviation units operating primarily in the Atlantic under United States Fleet Forces Command. Type Commanders are in administrative control (ADCON), and in some cases operational control (OPCON) of certain types of assets assigned to the Pacific and Atlantic Fleets. AIRLANT is responsible for the material readiness, administration, training, and inspection of units/squadrons under their command, and for providing operationally ready air squadrons and aircraft carriers to the fleet.

References

1 2 Eckstein, Megan (29 November 2018). "Navy Stands Up Joint Strike Fighter Wing to Oversee F-35C Operations, Training, Manning". USNI News. Archived from the original on 2 August 2024. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
1 2 Keijsper, Gerard (21 February 2023). "US Navy and USMC F-35B/C Squadrons: A Complete Guide". Key Aero. Archived from the original on 2 August 2024. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
1 2 3 "Joint Strike Fighter Wing - About Us". Naval Air Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet. Archived from the original on 2 August 2024. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
↑ Donald, David (1 March 2019). "F-35C Achieves IOC; Singapore Details Initial F-35 Buy". Aviation International News. Archived from the original on 5 August 2024. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
↑ Brooks, Bradley A. (1 February 2013). "Correlation of Ready for Tasking to Full Mission Capable Metrics for F/A-18E/F" (PDF). Defense Technical Information Center. Archived from the original on 5 August 2024. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
↑ "Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 86". The Wayback Machine. 13 November 2023. Archived from the original on 13 November 2023. Retrieved 2 August 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)

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[:0-1] 1 2 Eckstein, Megan (29 November 2018). "Navy Stands Up Joint Strike Fighter Wing to Oversee F-35C Operations, Training, Manning". USNI News. Archived from the original on 2 August 2024. Retrieved 2 August 2024.

[:2-2] 1 2 Keijsper, Gerard (21 February 2023). "US Navy and USMC F-35B/C Squadrons: A Complete Guide". Key Aero. Archived from the original on 2 August 2024. Retrieved 2 August 2024.

[:1-3] 1 2 3 "Joint Strike Fighter Wing - About Us". Naval Air Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet. Archived from the original on 2 August 2024. Retrieved 2 August 2024.

[4] Donald, David (1 March 2019). "F-35C Achieves IOC; Singapore Details Initial F-35 Buy". Aviation International News. Archived from the original on 5 August 2024. Retrieved 5 August 2024.

[5] Brooks, Bradley A. (1 February 2013). "Correlation of Ready for Tasking to Full Mission Capable Metrics for F/A-18E/F" (PDF). Defense Technical Information Center. Archived from the original on 5 August 2024. Retrieved 2 August 2024.

[6] "Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 86". The Wayback Machine. 13 November 2023. Archived from the original on 13 November 2023. Retrieved 2 August 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)

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