Description
Official VFA-97 Warhawks F-35 Shoulder Patch — Fifth Gen, First to Fight
The Warhawks traded their Super Hornets for stealth. The enemy didn’t get a vote.
VFA-97 “Warhawks” is a Strike Fighter Squadron flying the F-35C Lightning II out of NAS Lemoore, California, assigned to Carrier Air Wing 2 and deploying aboard USS Carl Vinson. Originally established as VA-97 on June 1, 1967, the Warhawks have flown the A-4 Skyhawk, A-7 Corsair II, F/A-18A Hornet, F/A-18C, and F/A-18E Super Hornet before becoming the Navy’s second operational F-35C fleet squadron. In September 2019, VFA-97 was selected to transition to the Lightning II, received its first jet in October 2021, and rapidly achieved Safe for Flight certification. The Warhawks deployed in November 2024 with CVW-2 aboard Carl Vinson, and by April 2025 were conducting combat operations against Houthi targets in the Red Sea — marking the first time U.S. Navy F-35Cs (as opposed to Marine Corps) were used in combat. This F-35 shoulder patch represents the Warhawks’ leap into fifth-generation warfare.
Perfect For: VFA-97 Warhawks aircrew and maintainers, F-35C Lightning II community, NAS Lemoore squadrons, CVW-2 and Carl Vinson veterans, and anyone who knows that the future of naval aviation flies with stealth.
VFA-97 — Warhawks in stealth mode, but you’ll feel the thunder.
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