VFA-213

Strike Fighter Squadron 213
VFA-213 Insignia
Active	22 June 1955 - present
Country	United States of America
Branch	United States Navy
Type	Fighter/Attack
Role	Close air support Air interdiction Aerial reconnaissance
Garrison/HQ	NAS Oceana
Nickname(s)	"Blacklions"
Motto(s)	Audentes Fortuna Juvat
Engagements	Vietnam War Operation Praying Mantis Operation Restore Hope Operation Southern Watch Operation Desert Fox Operation Enduring Freedom Iraq War
Aircraft flown
Fighter	F2H Banshee F4D Skyray F3H Demon F-4 Phantom II F-14 Tomcat F/A-18F Super Hornet

Strike Fighter Squadron 213 (VFA-213) Blacklions 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 F/A-18F Super Hornet. The squadron is assigned to Carrier Air Wing Eight and uses the radio callsign Lion.

Fighter Squadron Two Hundred Thirteen (VF-213) was established on June 22, 1955 at NAS Moffett Field, California. The first cruise was aboard USS Bon Homme Richard flying the F2H Banshee. When they returned, they transitioned to the F4D Skyray which they flew for two deployments on USS Lexington. They then transitioned to the F3H Demon, which gave the squadron the capability to fire the newly deployed AIM-7 Sparrow air-to-air missile. VF-213 deployed next for a third cruise aboard USS Lexington.

In June 1961, VF-213 moved to NAS Miramar, which became their home for the next 36 years. Three years later, in February 1964, VF-213 accepting the first of their new F-4B Phantom IIs.

In November 1965, VFA-213 joined Attack Carrier Air Wing 11 (CVW-11) and made 9 deployments to Vietnam and the Western Pacific aboard USS Kitty Hawk as follows:

In September 1976, VF-213 began the transition to the F-14A Tomcat. The first cruise with the F-14 was with CVW-11 aboard USS Kitty Hawk in October 1977. After the Kitty Hawk cruise, the carrier air wing switched to the USS America and took part in two Mediterranean cruises in 1979 and 1981.

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