One of Marine Corps Air Station Miramar’s historic training squadrons flew together for the final time on Friday.
Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron (VMFAT) 101 has a long history. It has been around since 1969 and trained pilots primarily on F/A-18 Hornets, but it has also been instrumental in the use of other aircraft such as the F-4 Phantom II.
“We have produced some of the finest aviators in the Marine Corps to go out and support combat operations around the globe,” Maj. Brian Radler, an F/A-18 instructor pilot with VMFAT-101, told NBC 7.
For the jets final flight, an NBC 7 crew got to ascend alongside them in a KC-130J. Eighteen jets, out of 20 in the squadron, flew within feet of each other while executing multiple formations.
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“That is a unique moment. Not a lot of people get to see us do what we do best,” Maj. Radler said. “Flying that many planes together is very challenging.”
Radler has been flying F/A-18s for 10 years and teaching for more than two. He told NBC 7 it's important to him to give back to younger pilots and share with them what he has learned.
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“Having 18 planes out there together, being able to take a historic photograph or memory or whatever that may be, we know 50 years from now they’re going to have that record,” he said.
“The mission itself is not going away. The squadron is being sundowned and deactivated, however, the role is going to be picked up by VMFA-323,” Maj. Radler said.
According to an information page about the deactivation:
“Though VMFAT-101 deactivates on Sept. 29, 2023, the squadrons training mission will transfer to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 323. Marines of VMFAT-101 will continue to train and support F/A-18 replacement pilots and former fleet aviators as the Fleet Replacement Detachment under the operational and administrative control of VMFA-323.”
This is all a part of the Marine Corps’ transition to the F-35 jet. They hope to be using primarily F-35s by 2030.
