Navy Stands Up F-35C Squadron at Eglin

On Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2013, the U.S. Navy and the 33rd Fighter Wing at Eglin AFB, Fla., officially reconstituted the highly decorated VFA-101 Grim Reapers Squadron during ceremonies held on the Emerald Coast.

 

VFA-101 will fly the Lockheed Martin F-35C Lightning II carrier variant, to perform the mission of training pilots and sailors to fly and service the aircraft fleet. The U.S. Navy’s F-35C Initial Operating Capability is scheduled for 2019.

 

“The F-35C brings a broad range of force packages to the Navy fleet – capitalizing on the integration of advanced mission systems, stealth technology, and supersonic capabilities,” says Lorraine Martin, executive vice president and general manager of the F-35 program.