In 1982 they deployed to support peacekeeping forces in Lebanon. Between 1984 and 1994 VA-83 and CVW-17 were assigned for six deployments to USS Saratoga. Squadron aircraft fired AGM-88 HARMs against a Libyan missile radar site, marking the first use of that missile in combat.
1987 marked their final deployment with the A-7, and in November they began the transition to the F/A-18C Hornet, and on 1 March 1988 were re-designated to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA-83). In mid-1990 they made their first Hornet deployment aboard USS Saratoga in support of Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm. For 43 days they flew 237 combat missions over Iraq and Kuwait, they were awarded the 1990 COMNAVAIRLANT Battle “E” and the 1991 CNO Aviation Safety Award.
In 1992 they deployed to the Adriatic Sea supporting United Nations operations in former Yugoslavia. In 1994 they made a second deployment to the area, which also marked the first ever detachment to Jordan. They were awarded their sixth CNO Aviation Safety Award in 1994. In 1996 the squadron deployed to the Mediterranean Sea, the Adriatic Sea and the Persian Gulf on board USS Enterprise in support of Operation Southern Watch.
In 1996 they were awarded the Battle “E” and Michael J. Estocin Award, as the best F/A-18 squadron in the US Navy. The squadron was then equipped with the F/A-18C(N). In April 1998 VFA-83 was relocated to NAS Oceana, Virginia. CVW-17 was then reassigned to the carrier USS George Washington and made two deployments to the Mediterranean Sea and the Arabian Sea in 2000 and 2002, supporting Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. These operations continued in 2004 during the last deployment of USS John F. Kennedy.
VFA-83 was then reassigned to Carrier Air Wing Seven and deployed again on USS Dwight D. Eisenhower to the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean from October 2006 to May 2007. As USS Dwight D. Eisenhower was refitted in 2008, the strike fighter squadrons of CVW-7 were assigned to CVW-17 and conducted a work-up period on USS George Washington. During that cruise CVW-7's squadrons retained their tail code "AG".
VFA-83's Top-Scoring Deployment Pilot
LT Lucy
Total Time (Rounded) | Night Time (Rounded) | Airfield/FARP Landings | Carrier Traps | Bolters | 98 | 25 | 54 | 18 | 3 |
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Top GPA in VFA-83: | LTJG Speedo | ||
---|---|---|---|
Pilot | GPA | RR | Grades Newest on the right. Oldest on the left. |
IFEI | 2.8 | 76.2% | |
OFFS | 2.1 | 81.0% | |
Brooklyn | 3.0 | 89.5% | |
Squeak | 2.2 | 76.2% | |
Trips | 2.6 | 72.2% | |
Speedo | 3.4 | 100.0% | |
Mumbles | 2.8 | 100.0% | |
Lucy | 2.6 | 85.0% | |
Bait | 2.9 | 80.0% | |
Random | 3.0 | 81.0% | |
Krispy | 2.5 | 80.0% | |
Grade Key | _Ok_    OK    (OK)    B    —    OWO    WOP    WO    C    WOFD    | ||
VFA-83 Stats | GPA: 2.7   |   Recovery Rate: 82.3% | ||
Wing Staff and Higher (Grades do not count toward squadron GPA or recovery rate) | |||
Eeyore | 2.9 | 100.0% | |
Nemo | 1.9 | 85.0% | |
Sticky | 3.2 | 100.0% | |
Full Grade Key | |||
VFA-81: | _Ok_    OK    (OK)    B    —    OWO    WOP    WO    C    WOFD    | ||
VFA-83: | _Ok_    OK    (OK)    B    —    OWO    WOP    WO    C    WOFD    | ||
VF-103: | _Ok_    OK    (OK)    B    —    OWO    WOP    WO    C    WOFD    | ||
VMA-214: | _Ok_    OK    (OK)    B    —    OWO    WOP    WO    C    WOFD    |