The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is an American family of single-seat, single-engine, all-weather stealth multirole combat aircraft that is intended to perform both air superiority and strike missions. It is also able to provide electronic warfare and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities. The Mighty Argonauts of VFA-147 have a strong tradition of pride and professionali
sm that dates back to their beginnings as an A-7 squadron. Attack Squadron 147 was commissioned as the Navy's FIRST A-7E Corsair II squadron on February 1, 1967 in Lemoore, California. VA-147 was the FIRST squadron to employ the Corsair II into the Southeast Asian Conflict while deployed to the Western Pacific aboard the USS RANGER (CVA-61), and amassed a total of five combat deployments conducting air operations over Vietnam. Throughout the Argonauts' Corsair II years, the Squadron won the coveted Battle "E" in 1977 as the top Corsair squadron in the Pacific Fleet, three CNO Safety Awards, and the Meritorious Unit Commendation for bombing excellence. The A-7E was retired following a Western Pacific, Indian Ocean deployment in February 1989, and Attack Squadron 147 was officially re-designated as Strike Fighter Squadron 147 (VFA 147) on 20 July, 1989.
