The footage is dedicated to Lt Charles “JTACz” Walker the VFA-151 pilot died when his F/A-18E Super Hornet crashed about 40 miles north of Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, Calif. On Jul. 31, 2019.
A look back at 2019 from the F/A-18 Super Hornet squadrons of Strike Fighter Wing Atlantic.
Each year the fighter communities hold galas/balls to celebrate their craft and renew friendships. This is the 2019 opening video for the Strike Fighter ball held on the east coast. It is fourteen minutes long, but worth the watch.
The footage is dedicated to Lt Charles “JTACz” Walker the VFA-151 pilot died when his F/A-18E Super Hornet crashed in the so called “Star Wars Canyon” a popular spot for military aviation photographers in the Death Valley National Park Calif. on Jul. 31, 2019.
Strike Fighter Wing’s mission is to provide U.S. Atlantic Fleet commanders with combat-ready Strike Fighter squadrons which are fully trained, properly manned, well maintained and supported. The wing is responsible for the readiness, training, administration, and maintenance support of all Atlantic Fleet F/A-18A-F Hornet and Super Hornet squadrons.
The wing was established in 1970 as Commander, Light Attack Wing One (CLAW ONE) at NAS Cecil Field, Florida. With the introduction of the F/A-18 in the late 1980s, the command was redesignated as SFWL on 1 September 1993. As a result of the Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC) decision to close NAS Cecil Field in 1999, the wing relocated to NAS Oceana, Virginia in 1998. In 2006, SFWL subsumed the staff of Commander, Fighter Wing Atlantic upon the retirement of the F-14 Tomcat and that wing’s disestablishment.
Strike Fighter Wing Atlantic exercises administrative and operational command over one Fleet Replacement Squadron (VFA-106) and administrative command over 16 operational fleet F/A-18 squadrons.
Each Strike Fighter squadron normally consists of 10-12 aircraft, 22 officers and approximately 190 enlisted personnel.
VFA-11 Red Rippers
VFA-15 Valions
VFA-31 Tomcatters
VFA-32 Swordsmen
VFA-34 Blue Blasters
VFA-37 Bulls
VFA-81 Sunliners
VFA-83 Rampagers
VFA-87 Golden Warriors
VFA-103 Jolly Rogers
VFA-105 Gunslingers
VFA-106 Gladiators [FRS]
VFA-131 Wildcats
VFA-136 Knighthawks
VFA-143 Pukin Dogs
VFA-211 Fighting Checkmates
VFA-213 Black Lions
Additionally, CSFWL exercises command over Strike Fighter Weapons School Atlantic.
