Naval Attack Squadron-151 'Raiders'

"We started the war in '94 with 35 aircraft. By the time the war ended, we hadn't lost a single pilot in combat or crash-related incidents. - Senior Commander Alex Miller commenting on VFA-151's performance in the Second Normanland-Fireclaw War."Naval Attack Squadron 151 or VFA-151, more famously known as the Raiders, is a fighter attack squadron of the Normanland Defence Force Navy (NDF-N). Activated in 1948 as part of the Navy's FAA, the squadron was deactivated in 1984 before being reactivated in 1994 to make up for war losses in the Second Normanland-Fireclaw War.

1948-1954
VFA-151 was one of four NFAA units made as a result of Fiscal Year 48 (FY-48) which culminated in the two Hornet-class aircraft carriers. The squadron was assigned two airframe types; 20 F8-F Bearcats and 15 F7F Tigercats for service on carrier NDF-NS Wasp (CV-2) under the command of Commander Frank Roberts. Wasp and her airwing were assigned to the North Atlantic region for three years before being cycled back to the South Atlantic; VFA-151 members scored 3 aircraft kills and a dozen boat kills against pirates in the North.

1955-1965
The Tigercats and Bearcats were retired by 1955. VFA-151 received 35 F-8 Crusaders to replace the earlier prop aircraft; the only squadron in the Navy to exclusively operate the aircraft type.

1966-1980
The Crusader was short-lived; the F-4 Phantom replaced it in 1965, VFA-151 getting 30 of the J-version for the Navy.

1994-2014
The Raiders were reactivated in 1994 as an effort to resolve the problem of a lack of NFAA squadrons. They were equipped with a mix of 30 F/A-18A/B Hornets salvaged from boneyards and inactive reserves initially but were reequipped with F/A-18E/F Super Hornets in 1997.

2014-present
VFA was reassigned to the large aircraft carrier NDF-NS Liberator (CVN-38L) as one of its four fighter squadrons (the other three being 080 White Tigers, 311 Cheetahs and 354 Lions) under CAW-38 in 2014. Senior Commander Leon Buckley took over from Captain Harry Johnson in the transfer.

Four of the squadron's most famed pilots were assigned to VFA-151 during the transport; Lieutenant (now Commander) Joshua Huntley, Lieutenant (now Senior Commander) Nathan Wilde, Lieutenant-Commander (now Commander) Taylor Verrs and Sub-Lieutenant (now Lieutenant-Commander) James Red.

Third Battle of the Frost Sea
VFA-151 was involved in the Third Battle of the Frost Sea when the Reformist action occurred. They remained loyal to the legitimate government and fought both Reformist aircraft and warships, shooting down over 30 aircraft and sinking eight warships (four destroyers, a cruiser, an aircraft carrier, a submarine and a fast supply ship).