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VFA-203, nicknamed the ''Blue Dolphins'', was a Strike Fighter Squadron of the
VFA-203, nicknamed the ''Blue Dolphins'', was a Strike Fighter Squadron of the U.S. Naval Reserve
The United States Navy Reserve (USNR), known as the United States Naval Reserve from 1915 to 2005, is the Reserve Component (RC) of the United States Navy. Members of the Navy Reserve, called Reservists, are categorized as being in either the Se ...
. It was established as Attack Squadron 203 (VA-203) flying the A-4 Skyhawk
The Douglas A-4 Skyhawk is a single-seat subsonic carrier-capable light attack aircraft developed for the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps in the early 1950s. The delta-winged, single turbojet engined Skyhawk was designed a ...
at NAS Jacksonville
Naval Air Station Jacksonville (NAS Jacksonville) is a large naval air station located approximately eight miles (13 km) south of the central business district of Jacksonville, Florida, United States., effective 2007-10-25
Location
NAS Jack ...
, Florida on 1 July 1970, as a reserve force squadron (RESFORON) under a new concept in the reorganization of the Naval Air Reserve Force. The reorganization was intended to make the reserves more compatible with active duty units and to increase their combat readiness. The squadron later relocated to NAS Cecil Field
Naval Air Station Cecil Field or NAS Cecil Field was a United States Navy air base, located in Duval County, Florida. Prior to October 1999, NAS Cecil Field was the largest military base in terms of acreage in the Jacksonville, Florida area.
NA ...
, Florida and transitioned to A-7 Corsair II
The LTV A-7 Corsair II is an American carrier-capable subsonic light attack aircraft designed and manufactured by Ling-Temco-Vought (LTV).
The A-7 was developed during the early 1960s as replacement for the Douglas A-4 Skyhawk. Its design was ...
followed by the F/A-18 Hornet
The McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet is an all-weather, twinjet, twin-engine, supersonic aircraft, supersonic, carrier-based aircraft, carrier-capable, Multirole combat aircraft, multirole combat aircraft, designed as both a Fighter aircraft, ...
. Following the 1999 BRAC-directed closure of NAS Cecil Field, the squadron relocated to NAS Atlanta
General Lucius D. Clay National Guard Center (formerly Naval Air Station Atlanta) is a military facility located south of Marietta, Georgia, United States. It is located immediately south of Dobbins Air Reserve Base and shares its runways.
Befor ...
, Georgia. VFA-203 was deactivated on 30 June 2004 prior to the BRAC-directed closure of NAS Atlanta.
Operational history
VA-203 was part of Reserve Carrier Air Wing TWENTY (CVWR-20) atNAS Cecil Field
Naval Air Station Cecil Field or NAS Cecil Field was a United States Navy air base, located in Duval County, Florida. Prior to October 1999, NAS Cecil Field was the largest military base in terms of acreage in the Jacksonville, Florida area.
NA ...
, with local Reserve-specific administrative support provided by Naval Air Reserve Jacksonville (NAVAIRES JAX) as the Local Area Coordinator for Air (LACAIR) for RESFORONs at NAS Jacksonville, NAS Cecil Field and NS Mayport
Naval Station Mayport is a major United States Navy base in Jacksonville, Florida. It contains a protected harbor that can accommodate aircraft carrier-size vessels, ship's intermediate maintenance activity (SIMA) and a military airfield (Admi ...
.
In May 1972, the VA-203 deployed to NAS Oceana
Naval Air Station (NAS) Oceana or NAS Oceana is a United States Navy Naval Air Station located in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
Nowadays, the station is located on 23.9 km2. It has total of 250 aircraft deployed and buildings valued at $800 mill ...
to participate in exercise Exotic Dancer V, designed to test multiservice operations under a unified command organization. On 1 December 1977, the squadron moved from NAS Jacksonville to NAS Cecil Field, Florida. In February 1980, the squadron participated in a combined NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...
forces exercise conducted at NAS Bermuda
Naval Air Station Bermuda (Kindley Field) (usually described in Bermuda as United States Naval Air Station Bermuda, and not to be confused with the former Royal Naval Air Station Bermuda or the United States Naval Air Station Bermuda Annex, whi ...
.
Transitioning to the A-7E Corsair II
The LTV A-7 Corsair II is an American carrier-capable subsonic light attack aircraft designed and manufactured by Ling-Temco-Vought (LTV).
The A-7 was developed during the early 1960s as replacement for the Douglas A-4 Skyhawk. Its design was ...
in 1983, VA-203's primary mission was to provide contributory support to the fleet, and to be ready to deploy to an aircraft carrier
An aircraft carrier is a warship that serves as a seagoing airbase, equipped with a full-length flight deck and facilities for carrying, arming, deploying, and recovering aircraft. Typically, it is the capital ship of a fleet, as it allows a ...
during a crisis as an activated reserve light attack squadron. Following its transition to the F/A-18 Hornet
The McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet is an all-weather, twinjet, twin-engine, supersonic aircraft, supersonic, carrier-based aircraft, carrier-capable, Multirole combat aircraft, multirole combat aircraft, designed as both a Fighter aircraft, ...
, it was to be ready to deploy as an activated reserve strike-fighter squadron. A further mission was to act as adversaries to active duty Fleet fighter and strike fighter squadrons being trained for deployment.
In 1993, the squadron began training its pilots in the fleet adversary role. It moved to NAS Atlanta
General Lucius D. Clay National Guard Center (formerly Naval Air Station Atlanta) is a military facility located south of Marietta, Georgia, United States. It is located immediately south of Dobbins Air Reserve Base and shares its runways.
Befor ...
, Georgia, in October 1996 in advance of the 1999 BRAC closure of NAS Cecil Field.
Aircraft assigned
The squadron operated the following aircraft, with the years received as shown: *A-4 Skyhawk
The Douglas A-4 Skyhawk is a single-seat subsonic carrier-capable light attack aircraft developed for the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps in the early 1950s. The delta-winged, single turbojet engined Skyhawk was designed a ...
(1971)
*A-7 Corsair II
The LTV A-7 Corsair II is an American carrier-capable subsonic light attack aircraft designed and manufactured by Ling-Temco-Vought (LTV).
The A-7 was developed during the early 1960s as replacement for the Douglas A-4 Skyhawk. Its design was ...
: A-7A (1974), A-7B (1977), and A-7E (1983)
*F/A-18 Hornet
The McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet is an all-weather, twinjet, twin-engine, supersonic aircraft, supersonic, carrier-based aircraft, carrier-capable, Multirole combat aircraft, multirole combat aircraft, designed as both a Fighter aircraft, ...
(1989)
See also
*History of the United States Navy
The history of the United States Navy divides into two major periods: the "Old Navy", a small but respected force of sailing ships that was notable for innovation in the use of ironclads during the American Civil War, and the "New Navy" the ...
* List of inactive United States Navy aircraft squadrons
There are hundreds of US Navy aircraft squadrons which are not currently active dating back to before World War II (the U.S. Navy operated aircraft prior to World War I, but it did not organize them in squadrons until after that war). To be mo ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vfa-203 Strike fighter squadrons of the United States Navy Wikipedia articles incorporating text from the Dictionary of American Naval Aviation Squadrons