Organisations

Strike Fighter Squadron 41 (VFA-41)

Strike Fighter Squadron 41 (VFA-41), nicknamed the Black Aces, is a US Navy F/A-18F Super Hornet squadron whose pilots intercepted the Anomalous Aerial Vehicle during the 2004 USS Nimitz encounter.

F/A-18F · Black Aces · US Navy strike fighter squadron

Strike Fighter Squadron 41 (VFA-41), nicknamed the Black Aces, is a United States Navy F/A-18F squadron.¹ David Fravor, who commanded the squadron, described it as consisting of 12 airplanes and several hundred people.²

In November 2004, VFA-41 was attached to Carrier Air Wing 11 (CVW-11) and stationed aboard USS Nimitz (CVN-68).³ The wing also included Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 232 (VMFA-232) flying the F/A-18C, Strike Fighter Squadron 14 (VFA-14) flying the F/A-18E, Strike Fighter Squadron 94 (VFA-94) flying the F/A-18C, Electronic Attack Squadron 135 (VAQ-135) flying the EA-6B, Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 117 (VAW-117) flying the E-2C Hawkeye, Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron 6 (HS-6) flying the H-60, and Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 30 Detachment 3 (VRC-30 Det 3) flying the C-2A, according to the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group incident report.⁴

On 2004-11-14, F/A-18 pilots and weapon system operators from VFA-41 obtained both visual and sensor contact with the Anomalous Aerial Vehicle (AAV) south of the U.S./Mexico border, off the Baja California coast, according to the incident report.¹ The squadron’s commanding officer, David Fravor, piloted the lead F/A-18F, call sign FastEagle 01, one of two VFA-41 aircraft involved in the intercept and visual contact.⁵ Alex Dietrich piloted the second aircraft, FastEagle 02.⁶ A second VFA-41 section was also airborne that day, with Chad Underwood serving as weapon system operator alongside another lieutenant.^{7, 8} The incident report states that the only units involved in the detection and intercept of the AAV were USS Princeton (CG-59), VAW-117, VMFA-232, and VFA-41, and that all AAV activity was reported to D.C. Curtis by the commanding officers of USS Princeton and VFA-41.^{9, 4}

Fravor commanded VFA-41 during this period and flew the two-seat variant of the F/A-18F Super Hornet in that role.^{10, 11} Earlier in his career, during a freshman cruise aboard USS Nimitz, Fravor had observed Fighter Squadron 41 (VF-41) and Fighter Squadron 84 (VF-84), an F-14 Tomcat squadron, together with A-6 Intruder squadrons operating from the carrier.¹²

References (14)

VFA-41 F/A-18 pilots and WSOs obtained visual and sensor contact with the AAV on 2004-11-14, south of the U.S./Mexico border off the Baja California coast
“This section provides the debrief of the F/A-18 pilots and weapon system operators (WSOs) from VFA-41 that were able to get both a visual and sensor contact with the AAV on 14 November 2004 at approximately N31 20' W117 10' about 70nm south of the U.S./Mexico Border 30 nm off the Baja Mexico Coast (Figure 1).”
Nimitz Carrier Strike Group (CSG-11) AAV Incident Report char:12429-12736 View the source record →
David Fravor was commander of VFA-41, also known as the Black Aces
“commander of the Strike Fighter Squadron 41, also known as the Black Aces”
David Fravor: UFOs, Aliens, Fighter Jets, and Aerospace Engineering | Lex Fridman Podcast #122 00:00:06.0-00:00:10.5
VFA-41 is a squadron of 12 airplanes consisting of several hundred people
“a squadron of 12 airplanes consisting of several hundred people”
David Fravor: UFOs, Aliens, Fighter Jets, and Aerospace Engineering | Lex Fridman Podcast #122 00:00:11.5-00:00:14.5
The only participants in the events surrounding the detection and intercept of the AAV were USS Princeton, VAW-117, VMFA-232, and VFA-41
“The only participants in the events surrounding the detection and intercept of the AAV are the USS Princeton, VAW-117, VMFA-232, and VFA-41.”
Nimitz Carrier Strike Group (CSG-11) AAV Incident Report char:3454-3591 View the source record →
David Fravor was the pilot of FastEagle 01, one of two F/A-18Fs of VFA-41 involved in the intercept and visual contact with the AAV on 2004-11-14
“FASTEAGLE 01 Pilot: CDR David 'Sex' Fravor, USN/WSO: LT {{redacted: ~3 words}}, USN”
Nimitz Carrier Strike Group (CSG-11) AAV Incident Report char:16388-16470 View the source record →
Alex Dietrich was the pilot of FastEagle 02, one of two F/A-18Fs of VFA-41 involved in the intercept
“FASTEAGLE 02 Pilot: LT Alex 'Cardiac' Dietrich, USN/WSO: LCDR {{redacted: ~2 words}}, USN”
Nimitz Carrier Strike Group (CSG-11) AAV Incident Report char:16476-16564 View the source record →
Chad Underwood was a member of VFA-41 and was the WSO flying with another lieutenant
“Lt Underwood was a member of VFA-41 and was the Weapons and Sensors Officer (WSO) flying with LT {{redacted: ~2 words}}.”
Nimitz Carrier Strike Group (CSG-11) AAV Incident Report char:23293-23405 View the source record →
Chad Underwood's crew were part of the second F/A-18F section from VFA-41 airborne on 2004-11-14
“They were a part of the second F/A-18F section airborne that day from VFA-41.”
Nimitz Carrier Strike Group (CSG-11) AAV Incident Report char:23414-23488 View the source record →
All AAV activity was reported to D.C. Curtis by the Commanding Officers of USS Princeton (CG-59) and VFA-41
“All of the AAV activity was reported to VADM Curtis by the Commanding Officer, USS Princeton and Commanding Officer, VFA-41.”
Nimitz Carrier Strike Group (CSG-11) AAV Incident Report char:32489-32610 View the source record →
CVW-11 comprised VMFA-232 (F/A-18C), VFA-14 (F/A-18E), VFA-41 (F/A-18F), VFA-94 (F/A-18C), VAQ-135 (EA-6B), VAW-117 (E-2C), HS-6 (H-60), and VRC-30 Det 3 (C-2A)
“comprised of VMFA-232 (USMC F/A-18C), VFA-14 (F/A-18E), VFA-41 (F/A-18F), VFA-94 (F/A-18C), VAQ-135 (EA-6B), VAW-117 (E-2C), HS-6 (H-60), and VRC-30 Det 3 (C-2A).”
Nimitz Carrier Strike Group (CSG-11) AAV Incident Report char:3291-3449 View the source record →
During his freshman cruise aboard USS Nimitz, Fravor observed VF-41 and VF-84, an F-14 Tomcat squadron, along with A-6 Intruder squadrons operating from the carrier
“the squadrons that were out there, one of the squadrons was a VF 41 and a 14 squadron VF 84, uh, an F 14 squadron, and then a couple of a six squadrons.”
David Fravor: UFOs, Aliens, Fighter Jets, and Aerospace Engineering | Lex Fridman Podcast #122 00:19:04.2-00:19:11.8
Fravor flew the two-seat variant of the F/A-18F Super Hornet when he had command of VFA-41
“But I deployed, when I had command of VFA-41, I had the two-seat.”
David Fravor: UFOs, Aliens, Fighter Jets, and Aerospace Engineering | Lex Fridman Podcast #122 00:22:12.0-00:22:16.1
In 2004-11, David Fravor was the Commanding Officer of VFA-41, nicknamed the Black Aces
“In Nov 2004, I was the Commanding Officer of Strike Fighter Squadron Forty-One, the World Famous Black Aces!”
David Fravor Statement for the House Oversight Committee char:335-438 View the source record →
VFA-41 (Black Aces) was attached to Carrier Airwing Eleven and stationed aboard USS Nimitz (CVN-68) in 2004
“We were attached to Carrier Airwing Eleven and stationed onboard the USS Nimitz (CVN-68).”
David Fravor Statement for the House Oversight Committee char:444-529 View the source record →

Strike Fighter Squadron 41 (VFA-41)

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