1992, when the squadron switched carriers, planes and home bases. VF-31 (and VF-11) moved from NAS Oceana to NAS Miramar and to , and exchanged its F-14As for the new and improved F-14Ds. In late 1996, VF-31 returned from its second Western Pacific deployment aboard USS Carl Vinson, flying missions in the Persian Gulf and over southern Iraq in support of Operations Southern Watch and Desert Strike. VF-31 moved back to NAS Oceana in 1997. The squadron sent a single F-14D and crew to the 1997 Paris Air Show, primarily to promote new F-14 LANTIRN. In 1998 the squadron made a deployment to the Persian Gulf with supporting Operation Southern Watch. 2000s 2000 began with a WESTPAC deployment on board USS Abraham Lincoln. VF-31 deployed aboard USS Abraham Lincoln in July 2002, operating over Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, and again over the skies of Iraq supporting Operation Southern Watch. During their return home, the entire battle group was turned around on 1 January for the commencement of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Flying from the first night of combat, VF-31 was responsible for delivering ordnance to targets in Baghdad and the southern vicinities in direct support of coalition forces. During that deployment, VF-31 had the dubious distinction of having the longest cruise in the last 30 years of the Navy's history, returning to NAS Oceana on 2 May 2003. The squadron flew 585 sorties, dropping 276 LGB/JDAM/MK 82. In 2004, VF-31 and CVW-14 embarked on for a WESTPAC cruise, returning to the US on October 31, 2004. In December 2004, VF-31 transferred from Carrier Air Wing Fourteen to its current home with Carrier Air Wing Eight and . In September 2005, the squadron deployed aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt with CVW-8 for the final F-14 deployment, again to the Persian Gulf. February 7, 2006 marked the last recovery of an F-14 Tomcat from a combat mission. While operating from Theodore Roosevelt in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, VF-31 was credited with being the last F-14 unit to drop a bomb in combat. VF-31 returned to NAS Oceana on March 10, 2006, for the final F-14 fly-in. VF-31 remained operational aboard Theodore Roosevelt until July 28, 2006, when the last Tomcat landing and catapult launch took place off the Virginia Capes, with journalists from around the world (Mexico, UK, Holland, Germany and US) witnessing. VF-31 was the last Tomcat squadron, with