VFA-106

VFA-106
Unit name	Strike Fighter Squadron 106
Caption	Squadron insignia
Dates	1984–present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Navy
Role	Fleet replacement squadron
Garrison	Naval Air Station Oceana
Nickname	"Gladiators"
Aircraft attack	McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet
Aircraft attack2	Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet

VFA-106 is a United States Navy strike fighter squadron designated as a fleet replacement squadron based at Naval Air Station Oceana. The squadron trains Navy and Marine Corps aircrew and maintainers on the F/A-18 family and provides adversary and transition training for carrier air wings. VFA-106 supports carrier strike group readiness and contributes to training pipelines that feed squadrons deploying aboard USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78), USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77), and other nuclear-powered aircraft carriers.

Introduction

VFA-106 operates within the operational and training architecture of the United States Fleet Forces Command, reporting to Commander, Naval Air Forces Atlantic and coordinating with Naval Air Training Command, Navy Personnel Command, and Marine Corps Aviation elements. The squadron maintains relationships with Carrier Air Wing One, Carrier Air Wing Three, Carrier Air Wing Seven, and strike fighter squadrons equipped with VFA-2 (The Bounty Hunters), VFA-31 (Tomcatters), and VFA-115 (Eagles) assets. VFA-106’s activities intersect with programs and organizations such as the Joint Strike Fighter community, the National Naval Aviation Museum, and the Naval Air Systems Command.

History

Established during the Reagan-era naval aviation expansion, VFA-106 traces institutional roots alongside squadrons reorganized after the Cold War naval drawdown. Its formation coincided with procurement and fielding of the F/A-18 Hornet and subsequent transition to the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet as part of modernization initiatives influenced by events like the Gulf War and operations in the Global War on Terrorism. Over decades, VFA-106 has interfaced with developments at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, collaborated with contractors such as Boeing, McDonnell Douglas, and Northrop Grumman, and contributed to tactics development alongside units from Carrier Air Wing Eight, Carrier Air Wing Eleven, and Carrier Air Wing Twelve.

Mission and Role

VFA-106 serves as a fleet replacement squadron responsible for training fleet strike fighter aviators, naval flight officers, and enlisted maintainers on carrier-capable strike fighters. The squadron’s mission supports carrier air wing readiness, pilot carrier qualifications aboard ships like USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72), USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71), and USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76), and prepares aircrews for contingencies influenced by theaters including the Pacific Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. VFA-106 integrates doctrine and tactics promulgated by Chief of Naval Operations, Fleet Forces Command, and tactical publications developed by Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division.

Aircraft and Equipment

VFA-106 operates variants of the F/A-18 including legacy F/A-18C Hornet airframes and the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet multirole platforms. The squadron employs training aids and mission systems such as AN/APG-73 radar derivatives, electronic warfare suites derived from AN/ALQ-99 concepts, and practice ordnance including Mk 82 practice bombs and inert training rounds. Maintenance and logistics are coordinated with Naval Aviation Depot Oceana and contractors like Northrop Grumman and Raytheon. Avionics upgrades trace lineage to programs overseen by Naval Air Systems Command and interoperability testing with Joint Tactical Radio System derivatives and Link 16 datalink architectures.

Organization and Personnel

VFA-106 is staffed by a mix of active-duty naval aviators, naval flight officers, enlisted aviation maintenance personnel, and civilian contractors. Leadership aligns with billet structures defined by Chief of Naval Personnel policy, with commanding officers typically selected from experienced carrier-qualified strike fighter commanders who have served in squadrons such as VFA-14 (Tophatters), VFA-25 (Fist of the Fleet), and VFA-81 (Sunliners). The squadron coordinates with training commands including Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training and receives students from Naval Air Training Command pipelines and Naval Aviator and Naval Flight Officer schools.

Training and Operations

VFA-106 conducts syllabus-driven training including initial flight screening, carrier qualification (CAT/CCAT), tactical employment, air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons delivery, night carrier operations, and instrumentation approaches using systems influenced by Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) tactics. The squadron runs syllabus modules that reference tactics from institutional publications influenced by Chief of Naval Operations directives and lessons learned from operations such as Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. VFA-106 also hosts adversary training, integrating with units from Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 101 and joint exercises such as Red Flag and Northern Edge to refine air combat maneuvering and strike coordination.

Notable Deployments and Incidents

While primarily a training unit, VFA-106 has been involved in incidents and events that drew attention within naval aviation communities, including runway excursions, mishap investigations overseen by Naval Safety Center, and participation in public demonstrations at Fleet Week and Air Show events. The squadron’s training sorties support carrier deployments for groups embarked on USS Nimitz (CVN-68), USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69), and USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74), and its graduates have contributed to operations across theaters including the Indo-Pacific Command area and U.S. European Command missions. VFA-106 has engaged with research and development efforts at Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division and contributed to tactics tested alongside Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron "Blue Angels" predecessors and air wing integration trials.

Category:United States Navy aircraft squadrons