NAS Fallon Part 4 Carrier Air Wing 17

Carrier Air Wing Seventeen (CVW-17), is a United States Navy aircraft carrier air wing based at Naval Air Station Lemoore, California. The air wing is attached to the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson CVN-70 .

CVW-17 began its first regular deployment on the Vinson to the Western Pacific and the Indian Ocean on 30 November 2010 and returned on 15 June 2011. CVW-17 completed a second deployment on CARL VINSON from November 2011 to May 2012. In October 2012, CVW-17 completed a home port change from NAS Oceana, VA to NAS Lemoore, CA

CVW-17 consists of 4 F-18 Squadron namely VFA-22 Fighting Redcocks (F-18F), VFA-81 Sunliners ( F-18E), VFA-113 Stingers ( F-18C) and VFA-94 Mighty Shrikes ( F-18C) , All 4 Squadron was present during this base visit however the VAQ-139 EF-18G was not present.  We did see VAQ-136 Gauntlets  and 137 Rooks present on the hot ramp.  VAW-116 Sun Kings flies the Current E-2C for airborne Warning and command center.

We were shooting most of the CVW-17 aircraft from the NSAWC ramp whereby they were taxing by us and taking off. CAG birds from Sunliners, Mighty Shrikes and Stingers was observed while Redcocks only have the commander’s bird.

VFA-22 Fighting Redcocks

VFA-22, Strike Fighter Squadron 22, also known as the “Fighting Redcocks”, are a United States Navy F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter squadron stationed at Naval Air Station Lemoore. Their tail code is NA and their radio callsign alternates between “Beef” and “Beef Eater“.

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VFA-113 Stingers

Strike Fighter Squadron 113 (VFA-113) Stingers is a United States Navy strike fighter squadron based at Naval Air Station Lemoore, California.

The “Stingers” are an operational fleet F/A-18C Hornet squadron attached to Carrier Air Wing 17 (CVW 17) and based at NAS Lemoore, CA. Their tailcode is NA and their radio callsign is Stinger.

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VFA-81 Sunliners

Strike Fighter Squadron 81 (VFA-81), also known as the “Sunliners”, is a United States Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet strike fighter squadron stationed at Naval Air Station Oceana. They are a part of Carrier Air Wing Seventeen, their radio callsign is Zapper, and their tail code was AA and recently transisting to Pacific Fleet got change to NA. Their mission is to conduct prompt and sustained combat operations from the sea, putting fuzed ordinance on target, on time.

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VFA-94 Mighty Shrikes

Strike Fighter Squadron 94 (VFA-94), also known as the “Mighty Shrikes”, are a United States Navy F/A-18C Hornet fighter squadron stationed at Naval Air Station Lemoore. Currently a land-based “Unit Deployment Program” squadron, they deploy with no tail code assigned.  AS of 2013 with the assigment to CVW-17 gave them a tailcode of NA . Their radio callsign is Hobo.

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VAW-116 Sun Kings

VAW-116is a US Navy Command and Control Squadron that deploys aboard USS Carl Vinson as part of Carrier Air Wing Seventeen. VAW-116 flies the E-2C Hawkeye 2000 callsign “Kings”

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