VFA - 22 VFA - 22 , Strike Fighter Squadron 22 , also known as the " Fighting Redcocks " , are a United States Navy F / A - 18F Super Hornet fighter squadron stationed at Naval Air Station Lemoore . Their tail code is " AA " and their radio callsign alternates between " " Beef " " and " " Beef Eater " " . History . Strike Fighter Squadron 22 was originally commissioned as Fighter Squadron 63 at Naval Air Station Norfolk , Virginia in 1948 , the squadron was re - designated as Attack Squadron 22 in July 1959 after the decommissioning of VF - 22 in 1958 . The first Redcock aviators flew the F8F Bearcat . Later , Redcocks flew the F4U Corsair , F9F Panther , F9F Cougar , FJ - 4 Fury , A - 4 Skyhawk , A - 7 Corsair II , and the F / A - 18C Hornet . Today , the 220 enlisted men and women and 40 officers of VFA - 22 are based in NAS Lemoore , California , and have completed the transition from the single seat F / A - 18E Super Hornet to the twin - seat F / A - 18F Super Hornet . Over the years , the squadron completed three combat deployments during the Korean War and six combat deployments during the Vietnam War , where it participated in Operation Pocket Money . 1980s . In the late 1970s and early 1980s , VA - 22 embarked with Carrier Air Wing 15 aboard USS Kitty Hawk ( CV - 63 ) and deployed to the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean . In April 1988 , while in the Persian Gulf , VA - 22 aircraft participated in sinking the Iranian Frigate Sahand which fired missiles at two American A - 6 Intruder s . 1990s . In 1993 , the Fighting Redcocks deployed aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln ( CVN - 72 ) to the Persian Gulf and participated in Operation Southern Watch , enforcing the United Nations Southern no - fly zone sanctions over Iraq . Before returning home from deployment , the squadron diverted to the coast of Somalia and provided air support during Operation Continue Hope . In December 1998 , VFA - 22 led the only Carrier Air Wing 11 air strike of Operation Desert Fox . 2000s . In October 2001 , VFA - 22 was the first on the scene with USS Carl Vinson ( CVN - 70 ) to perform strikes against Taliban and Al Qaeda forces in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom . In 2003 , VFA - 22 deployed with Carrier Air Wing 9 on board the " Carl Vinson " on an extended eight month Western Pacific deployment in support of the Global War on Terrorism . In July , 2004 , VFA - 22 transitioned to F / A - 18E Super Hornets , and in January , 2006 , deployed with Carrier Air Wing 14 on board the USS Ronald Reagan for six months in support of the Global War on Terrorism . In early 2007 , VFA - 22 , made a surge deployment with Carrier Air Wing 14 and USS Ronald Reagan to the Pacific Ocean with a mixed unit of F / A - 18E and F / A - 18F as the unit was in the middle of transitioning to the two seater . By the end of 2007 , VFA - 22 had transitioned to the F / A - 18F Super Hornet . On 18 May 2008 , the carrier and its strike group departed Naval Air Station North Island for a scheduled deployment to an undisclosed location . On May 28 , 2009 , VFA - 22 and Carrier Air Wing 14 deployed with USS RONALD REAGAN ( CVN - 76 ) on a deployment to the 7th and 5th Fleet Areas of Responsibility . 2010s . In 2010 , The squadron re - located from Carrier Air Wing Fourteen to Carrier Air Wing Seventeen sporting the CVW - 17 " AA " tailcode , and are now attached to the USS Carl Vinson ( CVN 70 ) .