VFA - 11 Strike Fighter Squadron 11 ( VFA - 11 ) , also known as the " Red Rippers " , are a United States Navy fighter squadron stationed at Naval Air Station Oceana , Virginia Beach , VA . Their call sign is " Ripper , " tail code is " AB " , and they fly the F / A - 18F Super Hornet . Insignia and nickname . The squadron ' s original nickname was the " Rebel ' s Raiders " ; their insignia ( used from inception in 1950 to 1959 ) is unknown . In 1959 , the squadron changed designations and adopted the name and insignia of another , recently disestablished , squadron . The " Red Ripper " squadron insignia as described by an early member : " The boar ' s head is taken from the one that graces the label of the Gordon ' s Gin bottle . The scroll effect under the head is a string of link sausage , a good line of bologna which all members of the squadron were to be adept at ' shooting . ' The balls on the shield might be called balls of fire ; actually , they were supposed to typify good , strong masculinity . The bolt of lightning was the bar sinister of bastardy . The whole theme was worked into a sort of toast or creed with which the squadron members were to begin and end all good drinking bouts . The official Ripper toast is , ' Here ' s to us , the RED RIPPERS – a damn bunch of gin drinking , bologna slinging , two - balled , he - man bastards ' . " In 2011 , while on liberty in Bahrain , high ranking authorities declared the toast inappropriate and offensive ; the toast was banned shortly thereafter . History . Three distinct squadrons have been designated VF - 11 , and two distinct squadrons have been known as the " Red Rippers " . The first VF - 11 ( never known as the " Red Rippers " ) was established in 1942 , was redesignated VF - 111 in 1948 , and was disestablished in 1959 . The second VF - 11 , known as the " Red Rippers " was established in 1927 and went through numerous redesignations before being disestablished in 1959 . The third distinct squadron was established as VF - 43 in 1950 , was eventually redesignated VFA - 11 , and is the primary subject of this article . Officially , the US Navy does not recognize a direct lineage with disestablished squadrons if a new squadron is formed with the same designation . Often , the new squadron will assume the nickname , insignia , and traditions of the earlier squadrons . The first " Red Rippers " . Early years . The first Navy fighter squadron known as the " Red Rippers " ( the second VF - 11 ) was established as VF - 5 on February 1 , 1927 at Hampton Roads , Virginia flying the Curtis F6C - 3 Hawk . From 1927 to World War II , the " Rippers " flew several propeller aircraft including the Boeing F3B - 1 and F4B - 1 , the Grumman FF - 1 and F3F - 1 and also held the following designations ( designations tended to change based on the mission ; e . g . , " S " for scout , " B " for bomber ) : VF - 5S , VF - 5B , VB - 1B , and VF - 4 . 1940s . On March 15 , 1941 , the " Rippers " were redesignated as VF - 41 . During World War II , they supported the Allied invasion of Northwest Africa , downing 14 Vichy French aircraft in the Grumman F4F - 3 Wildcat . , and conducted air strikes against German forces in Norway in September 1943 . The " Red Rippers " were redesignated VF - 4 when they transferred to the Pacific Theatre in August 1943 aboard and . For the fighter - bomber mission the Hellcat was fitted with wingroot pylons , each of which could carry a 1 , 000 - Ib bomb or a ' Tiny Tim ' rocket . Smaller rockets were carried on three zero - length launchers on each wing , as carried on the VF - 11 ' Red Rippers ' aircraft . In the Pacific they flew the first air strikes against Tokyo in the Grumman F6F Hellcat . The " Rippers " also flew the F8F Bearcat for a time . In November 1946 , the " Red Rippers " were redesignated VF - 1A , and finally as VF - 11 on August 2 , 1948 . 1950s . After World War II , VF - 11 entered the jet age , flying the McDonnell F2H Banshee during the Korean War from the . During 1956 the " Red Rippers " deployed to the Mediterranean aboard and in November 1956 , " Coral Sea " covered the Suez Crisis . In January 1958 , the " Rippers " reported aboard flying the F2H - 4 Banshee . In the Mediterranean , " Essex " supported the Marines landing in Lebanon on July 15 until the end of August . " Essex " then transited the Suez Canal , operated with the U . S . Seventh Fleet , and then returned to the East Coast via the Cape of Good Hope . In 1959 , VF - 11 moved to NAS Jacksonville and on February 15 , the original VF - 11 " Red Rippers " were disestablished , their men and equipment being disbursed to other squadrons and activities . The second / current " Red Rippers " . 1950s . On September 1 , 1950 , Fighter Squadron 43 ( VF - 43 ) , known as " Rebel ' s Raiders " , was commissioned at NAS Jacksonville , Florida . They moved to NAS Cecil Field on September 18 , 1950 , and were initially outfitted with new F4U - 5N Corsair night fighters . The squadron traded its night fighters for F4U - 5s ( day fighters ) in October 1950 . The squadron ' s first deployment was aboard to the Mediterranean from April – October 1951 . In February 1952 , the squadron transitioned to the F4U - 4 and deployed to the Med aboard . In the mid - 50s , the squadron transitioned to the F9F - 8 Cougar . In April 1958 , the squadron transitioned to the Chance - Vought F - 8 Crusader . On February 16 , 1959 ( the day after VF - 11 was disestablished ) , VF - 43 was redesignated as VF - 11 , the second to be so designated . That squadron decided to adopt the traditions and insignia of the first " Red Rippers " ( although they do not claim the lineage ) . 1960s . The " new " VF - 11 transitioned to , where they helped quell the unrest in the Dominican Republic in 1961 . VF - 11 was the first operational squadron to receive the F8U - 2NE , receiving its first aircraft on February 8 , 1962 . In January 1966 the " Rippers " traded their F - 8Es for F - 8Ds . In the Fall of 1966 , they moved to NAS Oceana and transitioned to the F - 4B Phantom . The squadron saw its first combat on July 25 , 1967 over North Vietnam from . The brief combat period on Yankee Station was cut short when , on July 29 , 1967 , the Forrestal fire occurred . VF - 11 lost 47 men in the catastrophe . 1970s . The squadron made several Med cruises in the 70s aboard " Forrestal " . In 1972 , the landed an F - 4 aboard HMS Ark Royal in a cross deck exercise . On August 20 , 1973 , the squadron received its first F - 4J , beginning the transition from the F - 4B . 1980s . The Red Rippers transitioned to the F - 14 in 1980 and deployed two years later . The squadron ’ s combat debut occurred in early December 1983 when VF - 11 F - 14s engaged eight Syrian MiGs over Lebanon and were fired upon by Syrian surface - to - air missiles and anti - aircraft artillery . On December 4 , 1983 the squadron flew combat air patrols over a Navy strike force from the carrier , while A - 6E Intruders from the KENNEDY attacked Syrian positions in the Bekaa Valley of Lebanon . The strikes were in response to the Syrian SAM and AAA engagements . Two of the twenty - eight strong strike package were shot down , one A - 7 from and one A - 6 from the KENNEDY . The pilot of the A - 6 crew died while the B / N was held prisoner by the Syrians for a year before being released . While they were deployed for operations in Lebanon , one aircraft sustained damage from a suspected surface - to - air missile . VF - 11 and three other squadrons from CVW - 3 and the USS JOHN F . KENNEDY won Battle E ' s for 1983 . VF - 11 also won the Safety ' S ' . After three cruises with Carrier Air Wing Three and the " Kennedy " Battle Group , VF - 11 and its sister squadron transferred to Carrier Air Wing Six and . In 1985 VF - 11 Won the Battle E award as the best fighter squadron in the Atlantic Fleet and the Joseph S . Clifton award as the best fighter squadron in the Navy . They deployed again in 1986 , and stayed with CVW - 6 / Forrestal until its last cruise in 1991 , making a total of five deployments . 1990s . In January 1992 , VF - 11 and VF - 31 moved to NAS Miramar and transitioned to the F - 14D Tomcat . VF - 11 ’ s F - 14As were transferred to VF - 24 and VF - 211 . In February 1994 , VF - 11 and CVW - 14 deployed aboard , in support of Operation Southern Watch . The " Red Rippers " returned to NAS Miramar on August 15 . In the Fall of 1994 , VF - 11 acquired Night vision goggles requiring substantial changes to the F - 14 ' s internal and instrument lighting . In 1995 , VF - 11 received upgrades to their mission computers , providing air - to - ground ordnance capability . VF - 11 sent their first aircrews to Forward Air Controller school in September 1995 . Also in 1995 , VF - 11 was aboard " Carl Vinson " when she visited Hawaii for the 50th anniversary of V - J Day ( Victory over Japan . ) In May 1996 , CVW - 14 deployed with " Carl Vinson " in support of Operation Southern Watch . On August 31 the Iraqi army attacked the town or Irbil in northern Iraq and several SAM missiles were launched against U . S . aircraft . The United States responded with Operation Desert Strike by attacking targets in the southern no - fly zone with cruise missiles launched from B - 52 s escorted by VF - 11 Tomcats . " Carl Vinson " left the Gulf on October 1 . Upon return from deployment , VF - 11 moved to NAS Oceana as the US Marines took over Miramar . At the same time , VF - 11 transitioned to the F - 14B and changed air wings to Carrier Air Wing Seven . In 1997 , VF - 11 was awarded the Battle E and Clifton Award s as the squadron celebrated their 70th Anniversary . Also that year , VF - 11 received the LANTIRN infrared targeting pod and dropped their first GBU - 16 laser - guided bomb . In February 1998 , the " Red Rippers " deployed from Norfolk with CVW - 7 aboard on its Maiden voyage / world deployment . They supported Operation Southern Watch , travelled to Australia and Pearl Harbor before the carrier arrived at its new home , Naval Air Station North Island . 2000s . VF - 11 made a deployment in 2000 aboard , in support of Operation Southern Watch . Seven hours after the September 11 terrorist attacks , VF - 11 emergency sortied all squadron aircraft aboard to support Operation Noble Eagle . They deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in early February 2002 , and employed the first JDAM bombs from F - 14s in combat on March 11 , 2002 . In 2004 VF - 11 deployed for the last time with the F - 14 aboard in support of Iraqi Freedom . During that cruise , VF - 11 F - 14s participated in the bombing of Fallujah during a 48 - hour period between April 28 and 29 . On April 20 , 2005 , VF - 11 delivered the last of their F - 14s to the “ boneyard ” at Davis - Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson , Arizona . The squadron reported to VFA - 106 for F / A - 18 Super Hornet transition training , completing on November 5 , 2005 . In May , 2006 , VFA - 11 deployed to the Caribbean Sea supporting the Partnership of the Americas for two months as part of Carrier Air Wing Seventeen . VFA - 11 transferred to Carrier Air Wing Three and deployed with in November 2007 to the Persian Gulf . VFA - 11 and the rest of CVW - 3 returned home on June 4 , 2008 . The Squadron recently swapped CVW ' s , Changing from Carrier Air Wing Three to Carrier Air Wing One . 2010s . In January 2011 , VFA - 11 joined CVW - 1 onboard USS Enterprise for a deployment supporting Operation Enduring Freedom in the U . S . 5th Fleet area of responsibility .