By Lt. Mark Mineo, VF-14 PAO
as published by the NAS Oceana Jet Observer

VF-14 returned last week from a ten-day detachment to NAF El Centro, Calif., completing the air-to-ground portion of the Strike Fighter Advanced Readiness Program (SFARP). Under the tutelage of instructors from Strike Fighter Weapons and Tactics School, Atlantic, VF-14, along with sister squadron VF-41, planned and flew a variety of missions, from section strikes with Mk 76 training bombs to fully opposed, division strikes with load outs ranging from Rockeye cluster munitions to Mk 83 1000 lb. bombs. VMFA-401, the Marine Corp's adversary squadron, lent bogey support for several missions - adding very realistic opposition with their camouflaged, small and maneuverable F-5s to the outstanding ranges and desert low level routes of the El Centro/Yuma area. Flying approximately three division sorties a day, VF-14 dropped over 90,000 lbs. of ordinance. "This was certainly the best air to ground SFARP I've ever experienced," noted Commanding Officer Luke Parent. "The professionalism of everyone involved - from the officers of SWATSLANT to the Marines of VMFA-401 - made this a rich and challenging training evolution. It has been instrumental in preparing our squadron for the upcoming air wing integration at Fallon, and I'm confident that the Tophatters will continue to excel in the tactical arena." VF-14 will go on detachment to Fallon in October; the squadron's next milestone in its turnaround cycle will be the TSTA I & II exercises aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt at the end of August.

related links :
the NAS Oceana Jet Observer online