VFA-147

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Strike Fighter Squadron 147
VFA-147 Insignia
Active	February 1, 1967
Country	United States
Branch	US Navy
Type	Fighter/Attack
Part of	Carrier Air Wing Nine
Garrison/HQ	Naval Air Station Lemoore
Nickname	"Argonauts"
Equipment	F/A-18E Super Hornet
Engagements	Vietnam War Operation Desert Storm Operation Southern Watch Operation Iraqi Freedom
Commanders
Current commander	Commander Keith Kimberly
Ceremonial chief	CMDCM Keith McHaffey

VFA-147 Strike Fighter Squadron 147 (VFA-147) also known as the "Argonauts" is a United States Navy strike fighter squadron based at Naval Air Station Lemoore California. The squadron is named after a band of heroes in Greek mythology named the Argonauts. This is a likely explanation for the squadron's tactical callsign Jason (see: Jason and the Argonauts).

VFA-147 flies the F/A-18E Super Hornet. The Hornet is the Navy's premier Day/Night Strike Fighter. It has the capability to carry out both the air-to-air and air-to-ground mission forward deployed from the deck of an aircraft carrier.

The squadrons current Operational Commander is Carrier Air Wing Nine stationed at Naval Air Station Lemoore in California.

[edit] History

Attack Squadron 147 was commissioned as the Navy's First A-7E Corsair II squadron on February 1, 1967 in Lemoore, California. VA-147 was the first squadron to employ the Corsair II into the Southeast Asian Conflict while deployed to the Western Pacific aboard the USS Ranger, and amassed a total of five combat deployments conducting air operations over Vietnam. The A-7E was retired following a Western Pacific, Indian Ocean deployment in February 1989, and Attack Squadron 147 was officially redesignated as Strike Fighter Squadron 147 (VFA 147) on 20 July 1989.

The first FA-18C arrived on 6 December 1989. A complete transition to state-of-the-art technology resulted in new tools, newly graduated technicians, and 11 new LOT XII aircraft to commence integrated warfare training. The Argonauts were the first squadron to receive the new Lot XII "Night Attack" Hornets and quickly put them in action on their first WESTPAC deployment to the Persian Gulf in March of 1991. The deployment was highlighted by flying combat air patrol missions over Iraq and Kuwait in support of Operation Desert Storm during troop withdrawal operations. The Argonauts became the Navy's FIRST operational night attack squadron to employ Target and Navigational Forward Looking Infra-Red PODS (FLIR) and night vision goggles.

In June 1995 the Argonauts completed the transition to new LOT XVI/XVII FA-18C aircraft with the APG-73 radar and Enhanced Performance Engines. The Argonauts made deployments to the Gulf three more times in support of Operation Southern Watch aboard the USS Nimitz. During these operations Argonaut pilots conducted vital combat air sorties over Southern Iraq enforcing the no-fly zone.

In May of 1998 the Argonauts groomed their Lot XVI Hornets for an unusual but highly successful transfer to VFA-195 stationed in Yokosuka, Japan. In return VFA-147 received twelve Lot XI Hornets, and also a new home aboard the USS John C. Stennis.