Tomcat Sunset Ceremony

[HeyJoe]

I found it rather strange that 31 got 1-seaters, especially since its previous Airwing, CVW-14 now has F/A-18E squadrons: VFA-115 and 22.

just thinking out loud...

With so many squadrons transitioning, the old affiliations have gone by the wayside. VF-31 is currently deployed with CVW-8 (not CVW-14), which was traditionally the VF-84 and VF-41 airwing when there were 2 Tomcat squadrons in every airwing (except USS Midway). Then VF-14 got paired with VF-41 and they deployed in CVW-8 and transitioned together to CVW-11 on west coast. There is an internal planning document called TSPAT that lays it all out, but even it has gone through scores of changes.

As the old saying goes: "Difficult to tell the players without a program"

 

[TurnandBurn55]

Speaking about airframes going away, does anyone know what the deal with the Prowler pipeline (specifically for NFOs) is? I've heard rumors (trying to find substantiation) that the pipeline is (or will soon be) closed.

The EA-6B pipeline will be around for at least as long as you will be in TRACOM... and a guy in your year group would almost certainly transition to the "Shocker" automatically when the time comes...

 

[eddie]

The EA-6B pipeline will be around for at least as long as you will be in TRACOM... and a guy in your year group would almost certainly transition to the "Shocker" automatically when the time comes...

Is the name "Shocker" getting around?

 

[HeyJoe]

F/A-18 Growler

Is the name "Shocker" getting around?

The official name is now "Growler", but those names are usually transcended by more affectionate nicknames like:

Tomcat = "Turkey"
Super Hornet = "Rhino"
Hawkeye = "Hummer" (new NP2000 props don't hum though so...)
Viking = "Hoover"
Fighting Falcon = "Viper"
Prowler = take your pick "Station Wagon", "Winnebago", "Double Ugly"

 

[TurnandBurn55]

Is the name "Shocker" getting around?

It has been heard from in numerous areas... though not nearly as prominent as "the Hoov"... we're working on it...

 

[eddie]

It has been heard from in numerous areas... though not nearly as prominent as "the Hoov"... we're working on it...

As Brett would say: Good times.

 

[Blutonski816]

With so many squadrons transitioning, the old affiliations have gone by the wayside. VF-31 is currently deployed with CVW-8 (not CVW-14), which was traditionally the VF-84 and VF-41 airwing when there were 2 Tomcat squadrons in every airwing (except USS Midway). Then VF-14 got paired with VF-41 and they deployed in CVW-8 and transitioned together to CVW-11 on west coast. There is an internal planning document called TSPAT that lays it all out, but even it has gone through scores of changes.

As the old saying goes: "Difficult to tell the players without a program"

No, I'm not really talking about old ties, but just the fact that there hasn't been an F/A-18F squadron attatched to CVW-14. I am aware of the post-transition changes for former Tomcat Squadrons has many of them operating on opposite coasts. I just thought somebody would fill in as the 2-seater squadron since VF-31 left CVW-14.
But I get what you mean about TSPAT....

 

[HeyJoe]

I'll check it when folks at AIRLANT go back to work next week. Haven't been watching TSPAT change by change since it go up to version number 32. Sort of like weather in PCola (or any other semitropical coastal area)...if you don't like it, just wait, it will change momentarily. Happy Holidays, HJ

PS Overall plan is to get a 2 seat precision strike Super Hornet squadron in every airwing so CVW-14 may get one yet as last of Tomcats squadrons transition.

The F/A-18F squadrons off the top of my head are/will be:
VFA-41
VFA-2
VFA-211
VFA-102
VFA-154
VFA-103
VFA-11
VFA-32
VFA-213

Hmm, that only makes nine and if they needed a tenth, VF-143 or VF-31 could have been transitioned to F models unless there weren't enough to be had (production line is now taking F models and turning them into G models. maybe that's the reason). So with ten air wings, appears one may not get a F/A-18F squadron. What's that movie "The Gods must be crazy!"? It's worth a call to check why there are only nine F units. Let you know what I find out.

 

[Jakapr]

Aircraft names

"The official name is now "Growler", but those names are usually transcended by more affectionate nicknames like:

Tomcat = "Turkey"
Super Hornet = "Rhino"
Hawkeye = "Hummer" (new NP2000 props don't hum though so...)
Viking = "Hoover"
Fighting Falcon = "Viper"
Prowler = take your pick "Station Wagon", "Winnebago", "Double Ugly"

I was on another site awhile back and they were talking about the F-18 and they mentioned the Rhino. I was at first wondering why they were talking about the Phantom on a Hornet site.

And the Tomcat called the Turkey, I never heard it called that till after I got out.

Jack
X-Phantom Phixer, 73 cruise (original Rhino)
X-Tomcat Tweaker, 75 cruise

 

[HeyJoe]

"The official name is now "Growler", but those names are usually transcended by more affectionate nicknames like:

Tomcat = "Turkey"
Super Hornet = "Rhino"
Hawkeye = "Hummer" (new NP2000 props don't hum though so...)
Viking = "Hoover"
Fighting Falcon = "Viper"
Prowler = take your pick "Station Wagon", "Winnebago", "Double Ugly"

I was on another site awhile back and they were talking about the F-18 and they mentioned the Rhino. I was at first wondering why they were talking about the Phantom on a Hornet site.

And the Tomcat called the Turkey, I never heard it called that till after I got out.

Jack
X-Phantom Phixer, 73 cruise (original Rhino)
X-Tomcat Tweaker, 75 cruise

Well, you might notice that I did not include the Hornet as there are some raging threads going on concerning whether the "Legacy" Hornet is "JV". I've also heard called the "Bug", which would make the E/F the "Super Bug"

 

[HeyJoe]

I found it rather strange that 31 got 1-seaters, especially since its previous Airwing, CVW-14 now has F/A-18E squadrons: VFA-115 and 22.

just thinking out loud...

Checked with AIRLANT and eventually every airwing (all ten) will have an F/A-18F squadron. Right now, there will be 9 when VF-213 transitions. As of late, F-14 squadrons are transitioning at a rapid clip (VF-103, VF-11, VF-143, and VF-32 transitioning tot he Tomcat in less than a year with VF-31 and 213 this year). That's more than half the airwings so there weren't enough Fs to spare. One option is to transition a E squadron already in the pipeline. The G model has tapped some of the original Fs on the production line so there's some impact there.

 

[Blutonski816]

Thanks for the info...
that satisfied my curiosity....

 

[Fre@kshow!!]

Checked with AIRLANT and eventually every airwing (all ten) will have an F/A-18F squadron. Right now, there will be 9 when VF-213 transitions. As of late, F-14 squadrons are transitioning at a rapid clip (VF-103, VF-11, VF-143, and VF-32 transitioning tot he Tomcat in less than a year with VF-31 and 213 this year). That's more than half the airwings so there weren't enough Fs to spare. One option is to transition a E squadron already in the pipeline. The G model has tapped some of the original Fs on the production line so there's some impact there.

CurrentlyCVW-14 has two "C" and two "E" squadrons. We all thought is was going to be a little tough tactically for CSAR, CAS, FAC(A) stuff and the other typical 2-seat missions, but guys stepped up and it was mostly seamless. When CVW-14 lost VF-31 and VS-35 at the same time, there wasn't an "F" squadron avail, so we got VFA-22 Redcocks and they are a helluva bunch of guys... top notch in every respect.

I'm not sure what your typical airwing will look like ten years from now, but what do you think of this option?

1xF-35 12 planes
1x"C" 12
1x"E" 12
1x"F" 12
1x"G" 6
1xE-2 4
1x60 6
1xCOD det 2

That's 60 fixed wing and 6 rotary.

 

[petescheu]

I was actually looking at the Navy Vision 2020 or whatever it's called, and they actually have UCAVs as part of the CVW compliment down the road. Thought that was interesting... I think UAVs are going to be sooner in the future than we might expect.

 

[Blutonski816]

I think UAVs are going to be sooner in the future than we might expect.

Like every program that has yet to hit the fleet....
I'll Believe it when I see it...