VFA-25 Fist of the Fleet
Strike Fighter Squadron 25 (VFA-25), "Fist of the Fleet", is a storied unit of U.S. Naval Aviation, tracing its roots to Torpedo Squadron 17 in 1943. Flying TBMs and SB2Cs off the USS Hornet during WWII, the squadron later became VA-65 and transitioned to the AD-1 “Skyraider” in 1947. As a plank owner aboard USS Coral Sea, VA-65 earned its first Battle “E” in 1948 and flew combat missions from USS Boxer during the Korean War.
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Renamed VA-25 in 1959, the squadron moved to NAS Lemoore in 1962. From 1965–1968, it deployed three times to Vietnam aboard Coral Sea, flying over 3,000 combat missions and scoring a gun kill on a North Vietnamese MiG-17. In 1968, VA-25 retired the last prop-driven aircraft in Navy service and transitioned to the A-7B Corsair II.
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During the Vietnam War, VA-25 flew multiple combat cruises, delivering millions of pounds of ordnance. The squadron received its current designation, VFA-25, in 1983 with the arrival of the F/A-18 Hornet and made the Hornet’s first carrier deployment in 1985 aboard USS Constellation.
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From the 1990s through early 2000s, VFA-25 operated in the Persian Gulf, supporting operations like Southern Watch, Desert Strike, and Iraqi Freedom, including the 2003 “Shock and Awe” campaign, where it dropped over 300,000 pounds of ordnance with a 98% sortie success rate.
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The squadron continued high-tempo operations into the 2010s with deployments supporting Enduring Freedom and Inherent Resolve, maintaining combat readiness across multiple carriers including Ronald Reagan, Stennis, and Harry S. Truman. In 2012, VFA-25 transitioned to the F/A-18E Super Hornet and joined Carrier Air Wing Nine.
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Between 2008–2016, VFA-25 completed numerous deployments, flying nearly 1,000 combat sorties and logging over 5,500 hours. In 2015–16, during an 8-month combat tour on USS Truman, the squadron supported over 250 strike missions, dropping 400,000 lbs of precision-guided ordnance.
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Recognized for excellence in both combat operations and maintenance, the “Fist of the Fleet” remains a premier strike fighter squadron in the U.S. Navy.
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Our version of the US Navy Fighter Attack Squadron artwork, used in the F/A-18c Hornet livery:
ORIGINAL
REVISED
Please note: Featured on this site are many refreshed versions of the squadron's original emblem designs.
We've made subtle tweaks to some, more sweeping changes to others, but our intention is always to preserve the essence of the original ~ to create a slightly updated version that would print clearer on a variety of mediums.
All of our emblem design versions have been created with deep respect for the original design and their respective designers. It is our homage to these squadrons, their personnel, crews, and veterans.