Fighter Squadron Composite 13 (VFC-13), also known as the "Fighting Saints", is a fighter squadron of the

United States Navy Reserve The United States Navy Reserve (USNR), known as the United States Naval Reserve from 1915 to 2004, is the Reserve Component (RC) of the United States Navy. Members of the Navy Reserve, called reservists, are categorized as being in either the S ...

that provides adversary training at

NAS Fallon Naval Air Station Fallon or NAS Fallon is the United States Navy's premier air-to-air and air-to-ground training facility. It is located southeast of the city of Fallon, east of Reno in western Nevada. Since 1996, it has been home to the U.S. N ...

Nevada Nevada ( ; ) is a landlocked state in the Western United States. It borders Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. Nevada is the seventh-most extensive, th ...

. VFC-13 uses "Bogey" as its main radio callsign.

Mission

VFC-13 provides adversary training for Navy and Marine Corps Active and Reserve fleet and replacement squadrons, carrier air wings and Marine aircraft groups,

USAF The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Air force, air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its ori ...

units, to include

Air Force Reserve The Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) is a major command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force, with its headquarters at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. It is the federal Air Reserve Component (ARC) of the U.S. Air Force, consisting of commis ...

and

Air National Guard The Air National Guard (ANG), also known as the Air Guard, is a Reserve components of the United States Armed Forces, federal military reserve force of the United States Air Force, as well as the air militia (United States), militia of each U.S. ...

, and Canadian Forces. The squadron has received two consecutive CNO Safety Awards, the Golden Wrench Maintenance Award, and in 1994 and 2011, the Battle "E" award.

History

1970s

The squadron was established as Fleet Composite Squadron Thirteen (VC-13) on 1 September 1973 at

NAS New Orleans Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans is a base of the United States military located in Belle Chasse, unincorporated Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, United States. NAS JRB New Orleans is home to a Navy Reserve aggressor squadron and ...

Louisiana Louisiana ( ; ; ) is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It borders Texas to the west, Arkansas to the north, and Mississippi to the east. Of the 50 U.S. states, it ranks 31st in area and 25 ...

when the

US Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

reorganized the

US Naval Reserve The United States Navy Reserve (USNR), known as the United States Naval Reserve from 1915 to 2004, is the Reserve Component (RC) of the United States Navy. Members of the Navy Reserve, called reservists, are categorized as being in either the S ...

and the Naval Air Reserve Force (NAVAIRESFOR). The squadron first flew the

F-8 Crusader The Vought F-8 Crusader (originally F8U) is a single-engine, supersonic, carrier-based air superiority jet aircraft designed and produced by the American aircraft manufacturer Vought. It was the last American fighter that had guns as the primar ...

, and had 17 officers and 127 enlisted men within its ranks, most were former members of VSF-76 and VSF-86. In April 1974, they made the transition to the

A-4 Skyhawk The Douglas A-4 Skyhawk is a single-seat subsonic carrier-capable light attack aircraft designed and produced by the American aerospace manufacturer Douglas Aircraft Company, and later, McDonnell Douglas. It was originally designated A4D und ...

. The demand for West Coast adversary squadrons and other fleet support missions resulted in the squadron relocating to

NAS Miramar Marine Corps Air Station Miramar (MCAS Miramar) is a United States Marine Corps installation that is home to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, which is the aviation element of the I Marine Expeditionary Force. It is located in Miramar, a commu ...

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

in February 1976. In mid-1976, VC-13 added the two seat TA-4J to the single seat A-4L in their aircraft complement.

1980s

In 1983, the squadron returned to single-seat aircraft and transitioned to the A-4E. A-4Fs VFC-13 1993

On 22 April 1988, the squadron was re-designated Fighter Composite Squadron Thirteen (VFC-13). The same year, the squadron started operating A-4F "Super Fox" variant of the A-4.

1990s

On 26 August 1993, the last A-4 left the squadron. Starting in September, the squadron transitioned to the

F/A-18 Hornet The McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet is an all-weather supersonic, twinjet, twin-engine, carrier-based aircraft, carrier-capable, Multirole combat aircraft, multirole combat aircraft, designed as both a Fighter aircraft, fighter and attack airc ...

. In April 1996, VFC-13 transferred to NAS Fallon and made the transition to the

F-5E Tiger II The Northrop F-5 is a family of supersonic light fighter aircraft initially designed as a privately funded project in the late 1950s by Northrop Corporation. There are two main models: the original F-5A and F-5B Freedom Fighter variants, and t ...

. It took over the adversary mission from VFA-45 and

VFA-127 VFA-127, nicknamed the ''Royal Blues'' from the 1960s to 1980, and the ''Cylons'' from 1981 onward, was a Strike Fighter Squadron of the U.S. Navy. Established as an Attack Squadron designated VA-127 on 15 June 1962 at NAS Lemoore, California, it ...

2010s

F-5N Tiger of VFC-13 lands at NAS Fallon In April 2015

In 2011, the squadron received their second Battle "E" Efficiency Award.

2020s

In April 2022, plans to replace VFC-13's F-5s with Block 32

F-16 Fighting Falcons The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is an American single-engine supersonic multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force (USAF). Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it e ...

which are being retired from USAF service became public. The squadron's F-5s will be transferred to

VFA-204 Fighter Squadron Composite 204 (VFC-204), also known as the "River Rattlers", is a United States Navy Reserve adversary squadron, slated to fly the Northrop F-5 Tiger II, F-5N/F Tiger II after having previously flown the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 ...

, a US Navy adversary squadron currently operating F/A-18 Hornets. VFA-204, based at

Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans is a base of the United States military located in Belle Chasse, unincorporated Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, United States. NAS JRB New Orleans is home to a Navy Reserve aggressor squadron a ...

, is scheduled to retire its aging fleet of Hornets and will be redesignated VFC-204 by October 2022. the squadron has transitioned to the

F-16C The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is an American single-engine supersonic Multirole combat aircraft, multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force (USAF). Designed as an air superio ...

References

External links

Naval Air Station Fallon
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vfc-13 Fleet fighter composite squadrons of the United States Navy