Page 41 - AirForces - Monthly (February 2020)

‘bad guys’
www.Key.Aero
40-43 VFC111 AFM Feb2020.indd
40-43 VFC111 AFM Feb2020.indd
Main image: Marked as the VFC-111 commander’s jet,
F-5N 761591 (c/n L1066/1159) ‘AF-111’ was former Swiss
Air Force J-3066. Key West is ideally suited for the
training environment. From take-o , aircraft transiting
northwest are in the local military operations area
within five minutes. This vast complex comprises
more than 20,000 square nautical miles of airspace
reserved for the US Navy. José Ramos
Below: F-5N 761531 (c/n L1006, ex J-3006) ‘AF-104’
waits for departure with cockpit canopy cranked
open. Upon arriving at VFC-111, a pilot will spend their
first year becoming proficient as an adversary.
All photos George Karavantos unless stated
K ey West stands at the southernmost celebrated unit – Fighter Composite Squadron
Today, NAS Key West is home to another
point of the US continent. The country’s
closest point to Cuba is home to 111 (VFC-111) ‘Sundowners’, an active-reserve
the famous Mile Marker 0 – the end and the squadron operating the F-5N and F-5F.
beginning of the US Route 1 highway – and a
historic naval air station. The airfield of Naval ‘Sundowners’
Air Station Key West is located on Boca Chica Back in the 1980s, Cold War tensions meant
Key, the last island before Key West itself, and the US Navy’s inventory included multiple
is approximately 160 miles (257km) south of adversary squadrons. On the west coast, they
Miami. Originally named Boca Chica Field, were based at NAS Miramar and NAS Lemoore
NAS Key West’s history dates back to 1823 in California and later at NAS Fallon, Nevada.
when it was first established as a naval base. On the east coast, they could be found at NAS
The facility was expanded during World War Oceana, Virginia, and NAS Key West, Florida,
One and in 1917 became a submarine plus Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona.
base; a first US naval flight at Key After the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, the US
West was recorded the same year. After Navy decommissioned most of these units.
the war, the base was decommissioned From 1996, the only adversary squadron was
but reopened again just prior to the US VFC-13 ‘Saints’ in Fallon, which maintained a
entry to World War Two. After that conflict, temporary detachment in Key West. However,
NAS Key West was retained as a training this detachment became permanent in 2005,
facility but became a focus of world attention allowing reactivation of VFC-111 the following
during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. year. Officially, and in contrast with the USAF, the
Due to its superb flying weather, many US Navy does not recognise a direct lineage with
squadrons have been detached or permanently disestablished squadrons. However, unofficially,
located there, among them some of the most the naval aviation community strives to retain
historic and famous. Air Test and Evaluation traditions and history whenever a squadron
Squadron 1 (VX-1) was established at NAS Key designation and name is resurrected in a new
West and for three decades conducted airborne unit. As such, the unit adopted the identity of
anti-submarine warfare systems evaluations the former VF-111 ‘Sundowners’ based at NAS
out of Boca Chica. In the 1970s, Tactical Miramar, which had been decommissioned on
Electronic Warfare Squadron 33 (VAQ-33) March 31, 1995. The ‘Sundowners’ nickname
relocated to Key West with a mix of aircraft and in turn dates back to VF-11’s operations in
remained there until decommissioned in 1993. the Pacific theatre during World War Two.
Reconnaissance Attack Wing 1 stationed as Since its establishment, VFC-111 has flown
many as ten Vigilante squadrons at Key West. a handful of colourful F-5N Tiger IIs. The unit
Among several other permanent detachments operates as part of the US Navy Reserve’s fleet
were those of Fighter Squadron 171 (VF-171) adversary programme, providing dissimilar air
with F-4s from the 1970s through to the 1980s, combat training (DACT) to fleet strike fighter
and VF-101 with F-4s and F-14s from the 1960s and US Marine Corps fighter attack squadrons,
until 2005. VF-45 was also based at NAS as well as USAF, Air Force Reserve and Air
Key West to provide air combat adversary National Guard fighter squadrons. Every day,
services with A-4, F-5E/F and F-16N aircraft. streams of colourful adversaries go head-
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