Fighter Squadron Composite 111(VFC-111), also known as the "Sun Downers", is aUnited States Navy Reserveadversary squadronbased atNaval Air Station Key West,Florida.Currently, it operatesNorthrop F-5N/F Tiger-IIs,of which most are single-seater F-5Ns and one twin-seater F-5F, the "FrankenTiger".
| Fighter Squadron Composite 111 | |
|---|---|
 A squadronF-5N Tiger IIat NAS Key West in 2020 | |
| Active | 1 November 2006 – present[1] |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Navy |
| Type | Adversary Squadron |
| Part of |  United States Navy Reserve
|
| Garrison/HQ |  Naval Air Station Key West |
| Nickname(s) | "Sun Downers" |
| Motto(s) | Semper Confidens, Numquam Elatus[citation needed] (Latin:"Always Confident, Never Excited" ) |
| Mascot(s) | Omar[citation needed] |
| Insignia | |
| VFC-111 insignia |  |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Fighter | F-5N/F Tiger II |
The squadron is composed of experienced active duty junior officers, full-time active duty Training and Administration of the Reserve (TAR) personnel, and mid-grade part-time Selected Reservists (SELRES), with the SELRES pilots having extensive past active duty experience in Navy strike fighter squadrons. This gives the squadron real-world experience, as well as leveraging off that experience by retaining talented instructor fighter pilots that have left active service but transitioned to the Navy Reserve.[2]
History
editVFC-111 was originally known as Fighter Composite Squadron 13 (VFC-13) Detachment Key West, which was established in January 2006. VFC-13 Det Key West was redesignated as VFC-111 in November 2006.
VFC-111 assumed its 'Sun Downer' insignia, callsign, and traditions from the Fighter Squadron One Eleven (VF-111)Sun Downers,a famousU.S. Navyfighter squadron with extensive combat history as a carrier-basedF-8 CrusaderandF-4 Phantom IIsquadron during theVietnam Warand as an F-4 andF-14 Tomcatsquadron during the latter part of theCold War,as well asOperation Restore HopeandOperation Southern Watch.VF-111 was disestablished as a fleet squadron at then-NAS Miramar,California in 1995 due to post-Cold War force reductions. Officially, in contrast with theU.S. Air Force,the U.S. Navy does not recognize a direct lineage with disestablished squadrons.[3]However, unofficially, the Naval Aviation community strives to retain traditions and history whenever a squadron designation and name is resurrected in a new unit.
Mission
edit
VFC-111 operates as part of the U.S. Navy Reserve's fleet adversary program, providing dissimilar air combat training (DACT) to fleet strike fighter and Marine fighter attack squadrons, as well asU.S. Air Force,Air Force ReserveandAir National Guardfighter squadrons.
Ostensibly assigned to theNavy Reserve's Tactical Support Wing, VFC-111 is actually an Active-Reserve Integration (ARI) unit composed of both Regular Navy and Navy Reserve personnel. In this capacity, it has assumed the adversary role of a since deactivated active duty squadron atNAS Key Westknown asFighter Squadron 45 (VF-45).VFC-111's unique location at NAS Key West, Florida, home of the Navy's Strike Fighter Air Readiness Program (SFARP), eliminates costly adversary detachments and provides an on-site resource forcarrier air wingsconducting SFARP training at NAS Key West and on the adjacent Key West Tactical Air Combat Training System (TACTS) Range.
VFC-111 also provides a significant portion of adversary support to allF/A-18Fleet Replacement Squadrons(FRS) in the Navy and Marine Corps, i.e.,VFA-106atNAS Oceana,Virginia;VFA-122atNAS Lemoore,California; andVMFAT-101atMCAS Miramar,California. VFC-111 has also commenced support toVAQ-129,the FRS for theEA-18G GrowleratNAS Whidbey Island,Washington, as well as the Navy and Marine CorpsF-35CFleet Replacement Squadron,VFA-125at NAS Lemoore, California, and the Marine Corps'F-35BFleet Replacement Squadron,VMFAT-501atMCAS Beaufort,South Carolina.[4]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^Office of the Chief of Naval Operations(11 April 2012).OPNAV INSTRUCTION 5030.4G(PDF).Washington, D.C.:Department of the Navy.p. 15.Archived(PDF)from the original on 9 July 2022.Retrieved2 August2022.
- ^Ted, Carlson. "One-Eleven Heaven"Air Forces Monthly(Key Publishing), Issue 283, October 2011, pp. 48.ISSN0955-7091.Retrieved: 10 October 2011.
- ^"Naval Aviation Squadron Lineages".history.navy.mil.Archived fromthe originalon 26 May 2000.
- ^"Navy F-35Cs to Train at NAS Key West".KONK Life.29 October 2016.Archivedfrom the original on 27 September 2022.