Registered in September 1978. Tony Arbon photo

The XO aircraft of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 94 'Mighty Shrikes' The squadron is now operating the F/A-18F Super Hornet. Here a legacy Hornet of the squadron is seen deployed aboard the USS Nimitz with CVW-11. The team deployed on 3 March 2003 for an eight-month combat deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Registered in November 1959. Tony Arbon photo.

En-route Qaqortoq - Narsarsuaq. Scanned from slide.

A Tophatters commanders bird on deck of the USS Nimitz (CVN-68).

A Strike Fighter Squadron ((VFA) FORTY ONE "Black Aces" Super Hornet seen manoeuvring on board the USS Nimitz (CVN-68). The type saw for its maiden operational deployment while embarked on board the Nimitz. The squadron deployed with sister squadron VFA-14 Tophatter (an F/A-18E is seen in the back ground) within Carrier air Wing ELEVEN to the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

A Strike Fighter Squadron ((VFA) FORTY ONE "Black Aces" Super Hornet seen on board the USS Nimitz (CVN-68) during the first joint F/A-18E and F deployment (the Es saw earlier their first deployment as a sole squadron). The Nimitz and its Carrier air Wing ELEVEN were deployed to the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, so the brand-new two-seat aircraft also saw their first combat deployment in these days.

Pictured on board of the USS Nimitz while deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 14 "Tophatters" was the second squadron that deployed with the F/A-18E Super Hornet, but the first that deployed together with a sister squadron that was equipped with the F/A-18F.

Greyhound folding its wings after landing at the USS Nimitz

Green shirts on deck of a US aircraft carrier are Air wing maintenance and quality control personnel, catapult and arresting gear crews, Visual Landing Aid electricians, Hook Runners, Cargo-handling personnel, Ground Support Equipment (GSE) troubleshooters, Photographer's mates and Helicopter landing signal enlisted personnel (LSE) and Hook Up man (ensures that aircraft launchbar (left) and holdback fitting (right) are properly seated in the catapult). This green shirt on board the USS Nimitz (CVN-68) verifies the EA-6B weight with the pilot and the catapult crew prior to launch.

The very first F/A-18F cruise took place on board the USS Nimitz (CVN-68) in 2003. Together with sister squadron VFA-14 Tophatters (operating the F/A-18E), VFA-41 Black Aces flew numbers of missions from the Nimitz in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. This F/A-18F of the Black Aces is being prepped for the launch and is just lowering its folded wings.

A Carrier On-board Delivery (COD) C-2A Greyhound appraoching the stern of the USS Nimitz (CVN-68) during operations in the Persian Gulf while participating in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

A surprise and completely contrasting with the grey mass on board the USS Nimitz (CVN-68) was this Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 97 "Warhawks" F/A-18A Hornet. One of the Warhawks Hornets went broke during the Operation Iraqi Freedom deployment, so a replacement aircraft was flown in, and this appeared to be a former US Navy adversary aircraft that served the Naval Strike Air Warfare Center (NSAWC, Top Gun) from NAS Fallon (NV).

Two HH-60H, also nicknamed Rescue Hawks, were assigned to a Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadrons within an Air Wing. These special equipped Seahawks gave the Carrier Air Wing commanders their own Combat Search and Rescue capability. The HH-60H is easy to recognize by its FLIR extension, mounted on a gimbal on its nose. This Forward Looking InfraRed sensor enabled the pilots to see through darkness, haze, smoke and poor weather. The FLIR can also be used to target Hellfire missiles, that could be mounted on specially-fitted pylons. This camo HH-60H was seen on board the USS Nimitz (CVN-68).

Pictured on board of the USS Nimitz (CVN_68) this Viking shows clearly its identity, Sea Control "Squadron (VS) 29, nicknamed Dragonfires. Although both in an almost boring grey color scheme, NH-700 is in stark contrast to its unmarked squadron mate 159766/NH-705.