'River Rattlers'

The US Navy Reserves fly some of the oldest Hornets in the US, yet they are able to provide meaningful fleet support and a valuable reserve force if the need to boost the front line arises.

VFA-204 [José M. Ramos] #1
A VFA-204 F/A-18A+ carries a brace of live AIM-7H Sparrows plus two ADM-141 TALDs (Tactical Air-Launched Decoys). The TALDs are dropped as targets for the missile shots. José M. Ramos

It’s well known that when you’re working with the US military reserve forces, there’s going to be a lot of experience around. That rings true for Strike Fighter Squadron VFA-204 ‘River Rattlers’, stationed at NAS Joint Reserve Base New Orleans in Louisiana. ‘Classic’ Hornets may be out of the front-line fleet squadrons now, but the US Navy’s two reserve F/A-18 units fly some of the oldest fighters in the inventory.

The US Naval

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