The Wildcats were established as Strike Fighter Squadron 131 (VFA-131) on October 3, 1983, at NAS Lemoore, California. The squadron received its first F/A-18A Hornet in May 1984 and moved to NAS Cecil Field, Florida, in 1985, becoming the first operational F/A-18 squadron in the Atlantic Fleet and earning the distinction “AIRLANT's First and Finest.”
The Wildcats quickly established a combat record with the Hornet, participating in strikes against Libya in 1986 and later supporting operations including Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Deny Flight, Southern Watch, Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, and Inherent Resolve. Following the September 11 attacks, armed VFA-131 Hornets flew air patrols over Washington, D.C., and New York City as part of Operation Noble Eagle.
After nearly four decades as a Hornet squadron and 27 years operating the F/A-18C, VFA-131 began transitioning to the F/A-18E Super Hornet in 2017 and achieved Safe for Flight certification in March 2018. Today, the Wildcats continue to fly the single-seat F/A-18E Super Hornet, carrying forward more than four decades of strike fighter history and their motto, “One Team, One Fight!”
