VFA-87 | 1999–2015

From Oceana to carrier decks, the Golden Warriors flew Hornets into changing conflicts from Kosovo to Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria.

In This Chapter

A single cruise could put the Golden Warriors over very different battlefields. In 1999, they flew combat missions over Kosovo and Iraq from the same carrier. Through this Hornet chapter, pilots and maintainers adapted to missions ranging from enforcing no-fly zones to supporting troops ashore and striking Islamic State targets.

One cruise, two theaters

Kosovo and Iraq, 1999

Allied Force tempo

595 combat missions in 68 days

Hornet swap, 2006

F/A-18Cs replaced by upgraded A+s

2014 combat support

Sinjar Mountain and Mosul Dam