Fighter Squadron 202 (VF-202) nicknamed the ''Superheats'' was an aviation unit of the

United States 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 Sel ...

initially based at

Naval Air Station Dallas A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions. It inc ...

, Texas. Following that installation's BRAC-directed closure, the squadron relocated to nearby former

Carswell Air Force Base Carswell Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force (USAF) base, located northwest of Fort Worth, Texas. For most of its operational lifetime, the base's mission was to train and support heavy strategic bombing groups and wings. Carswe ...

, which was transferred to U.S. Navy control according to BRAC action and renamed

Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth (abbreviated NAS JRB Fort Worth) includes Carswell Field, a military airbase located west of the central business district of Fort Worth, in Tarrant County, Texas, United States. This military a ...

/ Carswell Field. VF-202 was established on 1 July 1970 as part of Reserve Carrier Air Wing 20 (CVWR-20), the

U.S. Atlantic Fleet The United States Fleet Forces Command (USFF) is a service component command of the United States Navy that provides naval forces to a wide variety of U.S. forces. The naval resources may be allocated to Combatant Commanders such as United Sta ...

's reserve carrier air wing, and disestablished on 31 December 1994. During its service VF-202 could be identified by the tail code "AF" and nose numbers (MODEX) "200" through "213."

History

VF-202 was established on 1 July 1970 out of Naval Reserve fighter squadron VF-53D2, this as part of a total revamping of the Naval Air Reserve following problems with the callup of Naval Reserve tactical aviation squadrons during the

Pueblo crisis USS ''Pueblo'' (AGER-2) is a , attached to Navy intelligence as a spy ship, which was attacked and captured by North Korean forces on 23 January 1968, in what was later known as the "''Pueblo'' incident" or alternatively, as the "''Pueblo'' cri ...

of 1968. This led to an effort to have carrier-based squadrons of the Naval Air Reserve mirror the active duty Regular Navy, with all Naval Reserve carrier aviation squadrons organized into two Reserve Carrier Air Wings (CVWR). VF-202 first flew the Vought F-8H Crusader and transitioned to the F-4N Phantom II in 1976. In the 1980s, the squadron subsequently transitioned to the F-4S Phantom II In 1987, VF-202 transitioned to new-build Block 110 versions of the

F-14A Tomcat The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is an American carrier-capable supersonic, twin-engine, two-seat, twin-tail, variable-sweep wing fighter aircraft. The Tomcat was developed for the United States Navy's Naval Fighter Experimental (VFX) program after ...

, the last F-14A version built, receiving their first aircraft on 27 March 1987. Due to the squadron's reserve status, the transition took longer than for an active unit, not being concluded until May 1988, when VF-202 carrier qualified with the F-14 aboard . VF-202 was equipped with two

nuclear strike Nuclear warfare, also known as atomic warfare, is a theoretical military conflict or prepared political strategy that deploys nuclear weaponry. Nuclear weapons are weapons of mass destruction; in contrast to conventional warfare, nuclear w ...

-capable aircraft giving the squadron an extra task after the

RA-5C Vigilante The North American A-5 Vigilante was an American carrier-based supersonic bomber designed and built by North American Aviation (NAA) for the United States Navy. Prior to 1962 unification of Navy and Air Force designations, it was designated t ...

and RF-8G Crusader had been phased out of service. As a TARPS unit, 1988 saw the squadron take part in the Reconnaissance Air Meet at

Bergstrom Air Force Base Bergstrom Air Force Base (1942–1993) was located seven miles southeast of Austin, Texas. In its later years it was a major base for the U.S. Air Force's RF-4C reconnaissance fighter fleet. History Bergstrom was originally activated on ...

, Texas, along with several other F-14 squadrons, including the Pacific Fleet Replacement Squadron, VF-124. Even with the force reduction after the end of the Cold War and continuing budget cuts, one would have expected that the TARPS capable squadron would not be disestablished. However, it was decided to disestablish VF-202 and make their F-14 sister squadron,

VF-201 The VFA-201, Strike Fighter Squadron was an aviation unit of the United States Naval Reserve based at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas (USA). It was established in 1970 as part of Reserve Carrier Air Wing 20 (CVWR-20) and d ...

, TARPS capable. VF-202 was accordingly disestablished on 31 December 1994 and its aircraft redistributed to active duty F-14 squadrons, primarily the former Atlantic Fleet, and now sole F-14 Fleet Replacement Squadron,

VF-101 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-199 ...

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 mil ...

, Virginia.

Squadron awards

*Naval Reserve Tailhook Squadron of the Year ~ 1981 *Noel Davis Battle"E" Award ~ 1981, 1982, 1985, 1989 *Chief of Naval Operations Safety "S" Award ~1981, 1984, 1987, 1990 *CVWR-20 Retention Excellence Award ~ 1988, 1989 1992 *Meritorious Unit Commendation ~ 1988, 1989 *COMNAVAIRESFOR "Readiness through Safety Award" ~1989 *Worldwide Reconnaissance Air Meet (RAM) Best Navy/Marine Corps Team ~ 1990 In 1994 VF-202 received the highest CWTPI score in COMFITWINGLANT history. As cited by inspectors as "the most professional squadron ever observed".

References

VF-202 History
{{Use dmy dates, date=June 2017 Strike fighter squadrons of the United States Navy

History

Squadron awards

See also

References