Aviation Photography - NAS Lemoore

Strike Fighter Wing Pacific
NAS Lemoore
California
October 2017

NAS Lemoore

Photo-report: A more detailed report appears in my book; Thunder Through the Valleys: Low Level Flying - Low Level Photography
With 266 F/A-18E/F Super Hornets assigned to the Strike Fighter Wing Pacific Fleet's four Carrier Wings comprising sixteen strike fighter squadrons plus the West Coast Super Hornet FRS. NAS Lemoore is one of the USN's most active airfields with an annual total of 210,000 flights. The Strike Fighter Wing Pacific ensures each strike fighter squadron is combat-ready to conduct carrier-based, all-weather, attack, fighter and support missions for the Pacific Fleet. The Strike Fighter Weapons School Pacific trains aircrew in mission planning, tactics, weapon systems and ordnance handling to ensure squadrons are prepared for combat.

F/A-18E Super Hornet (165868 'NE-304') of VFA-192 based at NAS Lemoore.

Left to right: F/A-18E Super Hornet (165868 'NE-304') of VFA-192 based at NAS Lemoore.

The Landing Signal Officer (LSO) in the 'shack' at the end of the runway at NAS Lemoore is marking the pilots using the optical landing system used by pilots for field carrier landing practice (FCLP) to make sure they are up to standard, just before deploying to a carrier off San Diego at the start of a cruise.

VFA-122 two-seat F/A-18F Super Hornet (166675 'NJ-103')

Left to right: VFA-122 two-seat F/A-18F Super Hornet (166675 'NJ-103') is one of relatively few Super Hornets fitted with a dual control twin stick used for training students on their first two low-level flights.
F/A-18E Super Hornet ('NJ-214') with VFA-122.
F/A-18E Super Hornet ('NE-310' and 'NE-311') with VFA-192.