VFA - 213 Strike Fighter Squadron 213 ( VFA - 213 ) " Black Lions " is an aviation unit of the United States Navy based at Naval Air Station Oceana , Virginia ( USA ) . It was established in 1955 and is currently equipped with the Boeing F / A - 18F Super Hornet . The squadron is assigned to Carrier Air Wing Eight and uses the radio callsign " Lion " . History . 1950s . The Blacklions were established as VF - 213 on June 22 , 1955 at NAS Moffett Field , California . The first cruise was aboard flying the F2H Banshee . When they returned , they transitioned to the F4D Skyray which they flew for two deployments on . They then transitioned to the F3H Demon , which gave the squadron the capability to shoot the newly released AIM - 7 Sparrow Air - to - Air missile . VF - 213 deployed next for a third cruise aboard " Lex " . 1960s . In June 1961 , VF - 213 moved to NAS Miramar , which became their home for the next 36 years . Three years later , in February 1964 , the Blacklions took a huge step forward in fighter capability by accepting the first of their new McDonnell F - 4B Phantom II s . In November 1965 , VFA - 213 joined Attack Carrier Air Wing 11 ( CVW - 11 ) and began the first of six combat deployments to Yankee Station aboard , where they flew numerous missions over Southeast Asia in the Vietnam War . This deployment marked the first use of the Phantom as a conventional bomber , which was a role destined to make the Phantom a mainstay of the US Navy , Air Force and Marine Corps . On 20 December 1966 , the Blacklions scored their first air - to - air kill when Lieutenant D . A . McRae and Ensign D . N . Nichols shot down a Vietnamese AN - 2 Colt . Between the years 1965 and 1972 VF - 213 flew several combat cruises , flying 11 , 500 combat missions and delivering 6000 tons of ordnance . 1970s . In September 1976 , VF - 213 began the transition to the Grumman F - 14A Tomcat . The first cruise with the F - 14 was with CVW - 11 aboard " Kitty Hawk " in October 1977 . After the " Kitty Hawk " cruise , the carrier air wing switched to the and took part in two Mediterranean cruises in 1979 and 1981 . 1980s . In April 1981 , the Blacklions added a new mission as they began training with the Tactical Air Reconnaissance Pod System ( TARPS ) and in April 1981 , VF - 213 deployed aboard . During Indian Ocean operations , the Blacklions achieved a new milestone by flying the longest Tomcat flight from a carrier on a TARPS mission . On 24 January 1986 they deployed with " Enterprise " to the Western Pacific and the Indian Ocean , where VF - 213 often intercepted Soviet and Indian aircraft . During this deployment , tensions between the U . S . and Libya escalated , necessitating the decision to move " Enterprise " through the Suez Canal to the Mediterranean Sea . Upon arrival in the Gulf of Sidra CVW - 11 aircraft flew patrols for two months , although encounters with Libyan aircraft were rare . The ship transited the Strait of Gibraltar and around the Cape of Good Hope South Africa before continuing onto Perth , Australia and across the Pacific to their home port . 1988 saw VF - 213 flying cover over reflagged oil tankers in the Persian Gulf and participating in Operation Praying Mantis . In 1990 VF - 213 and the rest of the air wing switched aircraft carriers to the . The first cruise on " Abe " was a six - week transit from NAS Norfolk to NAS Alameda , via Cape Horn South America . The Blacklions won the prestigious “ BOOLA BOOLA ” award in March 1989 for their professional completion of all missile test firings . In fall 1989 , VF - 213 and CVW - 11 went around the world on " Enterprise " for a WESTPAC deployment ending at NS Norfolk , Virginia for refurbishment . 1990s . The squadron deployed to WestPac on " Abraham Lincoln " in May 1991 in support of UN sanctions against Iraq . Blacklions flew combat air patrol and TARPS missions , recording the devastation of Kuwait oil fields . In 1993 , VF - 213 became the sole F - 14 squadron on " Abraham Lincoln " . That same year , VF - 213 flew in support of Operation Restore Hope in Somalia and Operation Southern Watch over Iraq . Kara Hultgreen , the first qualified female F - 14 pilot in the US Navy , was assigned to VF - 213 , and on 25 October 1994 , her F - 14 crashed while on approach to landing aboard " Abraham Lincoln " . Both she and her RIO ejected , but only the RIO survived . The 1995 WestPac cruise again saw the Blacklions flying over the skies of southern Iraq . In 1996 , VF - 213 moved to the for the 1996 - 1997 WESTPAC deployment . During this deployment VF - 213 fired twenty six AIM - 54 Phoenix and six AIM - 9 Sidewinder missiles , including one event where six planes launched twelve Phoenix missiles . These mass firings were conducted to reduce the numbers of older Phoenix missiles in inventory , as they were being removed from service . After the 1997 cruise , VF - 213 moved from NAS Miramar to NAS Oceana and transitioned to the F - 14D Super Tomcat , becoming the fourth F - 14 squadron to receive the Delta model . In 1998 they moved to , and began work - ups for their next cruise . During the 1998 - 1999 deployment , VF - 213 was the first squadron to fire an AIM - 54C Phoenix with the aircrew on night vision goggles . Two months into the deployment , VF - 213 participated in Operation Desert Fox , which was the Navy ’ s largest combat evolution since DESERT STORM . This successful deployment included the longest combat line period in over 25 years . F - 14Ds from VF - 213 , as well as the rest of the embarked carrier air wing aboard , joined other US air assets in the final strikes of that operation . Highlights of the cruise included the execution of 19 strikes , dropping 20 laser - guided bombs , supporting 11 combined strikes , flying 70 missions , and logging 230 combat sorties , including 45 reconnaissance missions imaging more than 580 targets . On 5 January 1999 , two F - 14Ds on patrol over Iraq were directed to intercept two Iraqi MiG - 25s south of the " no fly zone " . The Tomcats fired two AIM - 54 Phoenix missiles , the first ever Phoenix combat - launch by the US Navy . The Iraqi jets turned north and the missiles fell short of their targets . VF - 213 / CVW - 11 returned home in the spring of 1999 . 2000s . After the September 11 , 2001 attacks , " Carl Vinson " with CVW - 11 was the first carrier battle group on station in the North Arabian Sea , preparing for attacks against Afghanistan . On 7 October 2001 during a CVW - 11 strike , VF - 213 dropped the first bombs of Operation Enduring Freedom on an SA - 3 site near Kabul International Airport . VF - 213 was instrumental in their reconnaissance role , utilizing their TARPS pods , and also provided laser weapon guidance for F / A - 18 Hornet s and GPS weapons coordinates for Hornets and USAF strike aircraft . During the ten weeks VF - 213 were supporting OEF they flew over 500 combat sorties , over 2600 combat flight hours and expended 435 , 000 pounds of ordnance and provided valuable reconnaissance with the TARPS pods . VF - 213 was also the first F - 14 unit to use its internal 20 mm cannon in combat during the Battle of Mazar e Sharif VF - 213 received the 2001 Commander Naval Air Pacific Fleet Battle " E " , Chief of Naval Operations ( CNO ) Safety " S " , Clifton Award and the Commander Fighter Wing Atlantic Golden Wrench for their performance in 2001 . After the 2001 - cruise ended in 2002 , VF - 213 changed air wings from CVW - 11 to CVW - 8 . On March 22 , 2003 , VF - 213 deployed aboard to the Mediterranean Sea in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom . During the war VF - 213 would fly 198 strike , combat air patrol and ground forces support missions , delivering 102 laser - guided bomb s and 94 JDAM bombs . VF - 213 was paired up with VF - 31 Tomcatters for the 2005 - 2006 final F - 14 Tomcat cruise on board " Theodore Roosevelt " . During the cruise , VF - 213 and VF - 31 received ROVER upgrades to their aircraft , enabling them to transmit real - time images from their LANTIRN sensor to ground operators . VF - 31 and 213 collectively completed 1 , 163 combat sorties , and dropped 9 , 500 pounds of ordnance during reconnaissance , surveillance , and close air support missions in support of OIF . On 10 March 2006 , VF - 213 returned to NAS Oceana after the final F - 14 cruise . All 22 Tomcats flew together in a wedge formation over NAS Oceana as hundreds of people cheered . VF - 213 began their transition to the F / A - 18F Super Hornet in April 2006 and was re - designated VFA - 213 on 2 April 2006 . VF - 213 was the first Super Hornet squadron to fly AESA - equipped Super Hornets . VFA - 213 became the first squadron to receive Dual - Cockpit Cueing System for both pilot and Weapon systems officer , retrofitted with an aft cockpit Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System ( JHMCS ) , on May 18 , 2007 . On 13 May 2008 an F / A - 18 from the squadron operating from " Theodore Roosevelt " accidentally dropped a 500 - pound laser - guided bomb one mile ( 1 . 6 km ) outside of the Pinecastle bombing range near the Ocala National Forest . The bomb explosion started a wildfire which burned of vegetation . No one was injured in the blaze , but the emergency response cost $ 342 , 946 . A Navy investigation determined that technical misunderstandings and crew fatigue contributed to the mishap . The two crew members of the jet were later returned to flying status after a board review . VFA - 213 , along with CVW - 8 and " Theodore Roosevelt " , participated in Joint Task Force Exercise 08 - 4 Operation Brimstone off the coast of North Carolina between July 21 and July 31 , 2008 . The British carrier , the amphibious assault ship with associated units and the Brazilian Navy frigate " Greenhalgh " ( F - 46 ) and the French submarine " Améthyste " also participated in the event . On 8 September 2008 , VFA - 213 and the rest of CVW - 8 deployed on board the USS " Theodore Roosevelt " on a regularly scheduled deployment . On 4 October the " Roosevelt " Carrier Group arrived in Cape Town , South Africa , the first visit by an US aircraft carrier since 1967 and three days later the carrier left Cape Town . CVW - 8 and CVN - 71 supported operation " Enduring Freedom " and flew more than 3 , 100 sorties and dropped more than 59 , 500 pounds of ordnance while providing Close Air Support for ISAF - forces in Afghanistan . On 21 March 2009 it was reported that USS " Theodore Roosevelt " was relieved by . 2010s . On May 11 , 2011 , the squadrons of CVW - 8 embarked on ' s maiden deployment , scheduled to conduct operations in the US 5th and 6th Fleet areas of operations .