The United States Navy will be sending the  East Coast F/A-18 F Rhino Demo Team from the VFA-106 Gladiators

The History of the VFA-106 Gladiators
Strike Fighter Squadron 106 (VFA-106) was commissioned at NAS Cecil Field on April 27, 1984, flying the Navy's newest tactical aircraft, the F/A-18 Hornet. In the summer of 1999 VFA-106 moved from NAS Cecil Field to NAS Oceana, VA. As the East Coast Fleet Replacement Squadron, the Gladiators' mission is to train F/A-18 Replacement Pilots to support fleet commitments. Every 6 weeks a class of between 8-12 newly-winged Navy and Marine Corps pilots begins the 9 month training course in which they will learn the basics of air-to-air and air-to-ground missions culminating in day/night carrier qualification and subsequent assignment to a fleet Hornet squadron.

     Since it's commissioning VFA-106 has earned numerous awards, including the Navy Unit Commendation, Meritorious Unit Commendation and two Chief of Naval Operations Aviation Safety Awards.

The F/A-18 Hornet is a twin engine, mid-wing, all-weather fighter and attack aircraft. The F/A-18A and C models are single seat aircraft.  The F/A-18B and D models are dual-seated.  The Navy uses the B and D primarily for training, while the Marine Corps uses it for attack, tactical air control, airborne forward air control, and reconnaissance. The F/A-18C and D models are the result of an upgrade in 1987 incorporating provisions for improved night attack capability, as well as employing updated missiles and jamming devices.

  The Hornet is the nations first true strike-fighter capable aircraft.  It was designed for traditional strike aircraft missions without compromising its fighter capabilities.   In fighter mode, the F/A-18 is used primarily as a fighter escort and for fleet defense; in its attack mode, it is used for force projection, interdiction, and close air support.  

  F/A-18 Hornets are currently operating in 37 tactical squadrons worldwide and from 10 aircraft carriers.  It is proudly flown by the U.S. Navy’s Blue Angels Flight Demonstration Squadron.

  The F/A-18 demonstrated its capabilities and versatility during Operation Desert Storm, shooting down enemy fighters and subsequently bombing their targets with the same aircraft on the same mission.  It also broke all records for tactical aircraft in availability, reliability, and maintainability.  The aircraft's survivability was proven by Hornets taking direct hits from surface-to-air missiles, only to fly again the next day.   

  All F/A-18s can be configured quickly to perform either fighter or attack roles or both, through selected use of external ordnance and sensors to accomplish specific missions.  This “force multiplier”  capability gives the operational commander more flexibility in employing tactical aircraft in a rapidly changing battle scenario.

Super Hornet was developed in the 1990s to replace the aging F-14 Tomcat and to bring the Navy's tactical aircraft capability into the 21st century. The Super Hornet made its operational debut during Operation IRAQI FREEDOM in 2003, with outstanding results. The Navy's Super Hornet inventory grows every year with many former Tomcat and legacy Hornet squadrons transitioning to the single-seat F/A-18E and two-seat F/A-18Fs. Every Carrier Air Wing now has at least one Super Hornet Squadron incorporated.

  Along with advanced air-to-air and air-to-ground capabilities, the Super Hornet was also equipped to provide in-flight refueling allowing the Navy to take advantage of its enormous fuel capacity. The Super Hornet can carry up to 27,000 pounds of fuel when loaded with five external fuel tanks. This capability has also allowed the Navy to replace the aging S-3 Viking aircraft--previously the primary carrier-borne refueling platform.