VFC-111 was originally known as Fighter Composite Squadron 13 (VFC-13) Detachment Key West, which was established in January 2006.
Subsequently, in the fall of 2006, the VFC-13 Key West detachment was re-designated as a separate squadron, VFC-111, with an assignment of one F-5F and 10 F-5N.
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VFC-13 provides adversary training for Navy and Marine Corps Active and Reserve fleet and replacement squadrons, carrier air wings and Marine aircraft groups, USAF units, to include Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard, and Canadian Forces.
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These three elements of the Saints combine to fly over 5,000 adversary sorties per year in support of US Navy Fighter squadrons and their air wings, as well as USAF, USMC and Canadian Forces.
The company is headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee and owned by VF Corporation (NYSE: VFC), the world’s largest apparel company.
In addition to transferring the NSAWC squadron, a Navy Reserve adversary squadron, Fighter Squadron Composite THIRTEEN (VFC-13), the "Saints," was also permanently relocated from its former base at NAS Miramar to NAS Fallon.
In 1986, Red Kap was acquired by North Carolina-based VF Corporation (NYSE: VFC), making it the world's largest publicly held apparel company.
The VFC program was created by the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 and is required to be a new entitlement of each state's Medicaid plan.
The Sun Downers operate as part of the U.S. Navy Reserve's fleet adversary program, providing dissimilar air combat training to fleet strike fighter and Marine fighter attack squadrons, as well as U.S. Air Force, Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard fighter squadrons.
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VFC-111 assumed its 'Sun Downer' insignia, callsign, and traditions from the VF-111 Sun Downers, a famous U.S. Navy fighter squadron, that was disestablished as a fleet F-14 Tomcat squadron at then-NAS Miramar, CA in 1995.
In 2006, VFC-12 traded these F/A-18 A+ models (which had low arrested landing fatigue life) for F/A-18C's from VFA-87.
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VFC-12 was awarded the Noel Davis Trophy for squadron readiness for 1980, 1984, 1985, 1995 and 1998.