Strike Fighter Squadron 101 (VFA-101), also known as the "Grim Reapers", was a United States Navy Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS) based at Eglin AFB, Florida. After the West Coast FRS for the F-14 Tomcat, VF-124, was disestablished in the mid-1990s, VF-101 became the sole F-14 FRS. At the time it was based at NAS Oceana in Virginia. With the retirement of the F-14, VF-101 was deactivated in 2005. It was reactivated in 2012 and redesignated Strike Fighter Squadron 101 (VFA-101). It was one of two F-35C Lightning II FRS before being deactivated in 2019. It was based at Eglin AFB, Florida with the joint 33d Fighter Wing, as a subordinate unit of the U.S. Navy's Strike Fighter Wing, U.S. Pacific Fleet.
VF-101 F4D-1 aboard HMS Ark Royal in 1957
An F-4J of VF-101 Det.66 in 1971
VF-101 F-14B Tomcat
VFA-101 receives its first F-35C at Eglin AFB, 22 June 2013
Fleet Replacement Squadron
A Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS), is a unit of the United States Navy or Marine Corps that trains Naval Aviators, Naval Flight Officers (NFOs) and enlisted Naval Aircrewmen on the specific front-line aircraft they have been assigned to fly. Students, referred to as Replacement Pilots, Replacement Flight Officers or Replacement Aircrew are either newly winged aviators, aviators transitioning from one type aircraft to another, or aviators returning to the cockpit after a period of non-flying. After completing the training regimen, graduates are assigned to fleet squadrons. Additionally, FRSs are responsible for training aircraft mechanics, providing replacement aircraft for fleet squadron attrition, and standardizing maintenance and aircraft operations.
Image: Vp 30
Image: Vq 7
Image: VMFAT 502 (2020)
Image: Fighter Squadron 101 (United States Navy insignia)