Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 101 (VMFAT-101) was formally stood down at MCAS Miramar, California, on September 29. Joe Copalman looks back at the evolution of the USMC’s iconic ‘Sharpshooters’.
As the USMC progresses toward completing its Tactical Air (TACAIR) transition to the F-35B/C Lightning II, the demand for aircrew and maintainers on ‘legacy’ types due for retirement has been steadily shrinking. To align pilot and maintainer production with this reduced need, the Marine Corps has been deactivating its legacy TACAIR Fleet Replacement Squadrons (FRS), beginning with Marine Tactical Electronic Warfare Training Squadron 1 (VMAQT-1) ‘Banshee’, which was tasked with training pilots, electronic countermeasures officers, and maintainers for the USMC’s EA-6B Prowler community, which was deactivated in April 2016.
The Marine Corps followed this by shuttering the service’s AV-8B Harrier II FRS, Marine Attack Training Squadron 203 (VMAT-203) ‘Hawks’, in October 2021. On September 29 at MCAS Miramar, California, the USMC deactivated Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 101 (VMFAT-101) ‘Sharpshooters’, which trained fighter pilots, Weapons Systems Officers (WSOs), a…
