Virginia to California around South America. After work-ups in 2004 they deployed for a 2005 cruise, supporting OIF and flying over 2,100 sorties and over 4,300 flight hours. In 2006, VFA-14 made detachments to NAS Fallon and a joint exercise with the Royal Air Force to Scotland. Training continued through 2006 with a Strike Fighter Advance Readiness Program (SFARP) with a three-week detachment to NAS Fallon. VFA-14 and CVW-11 participated in Navy Fleet Week in San Francisco in early October. During this period, two F/A-18Es made a flyover during a San Francisco 49ers football game. Training continued into 2007 in preparation for the up-coming GULF/WESTPAC deployment in support of OIF and OEF, and exercise Valiant Shield near Guam. On 18 January 2008, it was announced that CVW-11 would deploy on 24 January to the Pacific for a surge-deployment on board Nimitz. During 2009 CVW-11 and the Nimitz Strike Group conducted several training exercises off the coast of Southern California including composite unit training and joint task force training in anticipation for their 2009–2010 deployment. On 28 July it was reported that CVW-11 and the Nimitz Strike Group was to depart for a seven-month deployment. 2010s VFA-14 and VFA-41 changed air wings and carriers to CVW-9 and and on 27 July 2011 CVW-9 deployed on board USS John C. Stennis to support operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, counter-piracy and maritime security operations. 2020s VFA-14 participated in dual carrier operations in the South China Sea with the Carl Vinson Carrier Strike, as well as joint exercise Valiant Shield in June 2022, and bilateral exercises Noble Fusion in February and Jungle Warfare in March, both with the Japanese Self-Defense Force, and, most recently, VFA-14 trained alongside 26 participating nations during Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2022 in July. See also History of the United States Navy List of United States Navy aircraft squadrons Notes VF-14 1973 history VFA-14 1974 history Tony Holmes (2005). US Navy Hornet Units of Operation Iraqi Freedom Part One, Osprey Publishing Limited. Tony Holmes (2015). F-14 Bombcat The US Navy's Ultimate Precision Bomber, Key Publishing Limited. External links The Tophatters Web site Tophatters Veterans Website VFA-14 Tophatters History Slapshot Endorsed Tophatters Virtual/Online Squadron Top Hatters Squadron, USNSCC Strike fighter squadrons of the United States Navy