Professional Note: VFC-12 Meets Total Fleet Integration

This past April, the Fighting Omars of Composite Fighter Squadron (VFC)-12 took their F/A-18 Hornets to the skies over Naval Air Station (NAS) Fallon, Nevada, with a new mission on their minds. In a reversal of normal roles, the Omars flew into various target complexes and delivered weapons on target, executing their first air-to-ground detachment exercise.

Commanded by Commander William "Sky" Crane and based at NAS Oceana, Virginia, the squadron belongs to Reserve Carrier Air Wing (CVWR)-20 and is the premier fourth-generation adversary command in the Navy. VFC-12's mission is to provide "red air"—or adversary support-to F-14 and F/A-18 fleet replacement squadrons and fleet squadrons. The red air mission entails simulating threat countries' air forces, aircraft, and tactics; this has been the squadron's primary task since its organization in 1973.

Naval air reserve forces have met with great success in their mobilization and integration efforts to help active-duty forces in the war on terror. Thus, to better prepare for augmenting fleet fighter-attack squadrons, VFC-12 has been directed to train for the "blue air" mission, which encompasses the skills necessary for deployment on board aircraft carriers and performance of a variety of strike-fighter tasks.

This major shift in training emphasis will require a great deal of preparation on the part of the squadron's 24 pilots. Of 180 officer and enlisted personnel, about 40% are selected reservists (SelRes) and the rest are full-time support (FTS) active-duty members. VFC- 12's experienced aviators look forward to challenging new training that will reinforce the strike-fighter weapon and tactics training they received at previous fleet commands. In addition, 40% of the squadron's pilots have attended the Top Gun course at some point in their careers and are strike-fighter tactics instructors.

The VFC-12 Blue Air Strike Detachment operated at NAS Fallon from 22 March to 2 April 2004. The intense training permitted more than 100 officers and enlisted sailors to experience the high-tempo world of total fleet integration. The week started with the pilots flying complex scenarios against their fellow adversary squadron, the Saints of VFC-13. Four-plane divisions of Omar jets fought their way into target areas, firing simulated missiles and guns against adversary F-Ss. After finding their target-area aiming points and dropping Mk-76 and BDU-45 inert ordnance from high to medium altitudes, they maneuvered aggressively to avoid simulated surface-to-air missiles and antiaircraft artillery and fought their way back feet wet, "splashing" any bandits who opposed them.

Initially, the plan called for the Omar detachment to use inert ordnance only. But by late the first week, the squadron's aviation ordnance division (comprised of SelRes and FTS sailors) had done so well at getting up to speed on live ordnance-handling procedures that the on-site CVWR-20 representative authorized VFC-12 to drop live ordnance the following week. In addtion, more than 40 of the squadron's selected reservists were air-lifted to NAS Fallon at the end of the first week for an extended drill weekend to conduct valuable hands-on training with ordnance and F/A-18 weapon delivery systems.

NAS Fallen's ordnance division provided the ten Mk-83 1,000-pound generalpurpose bombs that enabled pilots and aircraft maintenance and ordnance personnel to reach the next level in their qualifications. Live ordnance briefs, weapon handling, ordnance loading, and deliveries went smoothly. VFC-12's Hornets delivered all the fused bombs on target, on time.

The hard work and dedication of the men and women of VFC-12 resulted in accrual of more than 200 flight hours, release of 55,000 pounds of inert and live ordnance, and more than 75 sorties. The squadron logged a 100% sortie completion rate during the 12-day exercise. The Fighting Omars stand more prepared than ever to support the fleet in the war on terrorism.