War on Terror In April 2003 a detachment from the squadron took part in the invasion of Iraq as part of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit. In the spring of 2007 the squadron deployed to Al Asad Airbase again in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. During this time, VMA-231 flew 1738 combat sorties totaling over 5158 flight hours. In November 2009 the squadron deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF). They were part of Marine Aircraft Group 14 and were based out of Kandahar International Airport flying close air support missions in support of the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade (2nd MEB). They returned home in early summer 2010. Future Plans VMA-231 plans to start transitioning to F-35Bs in 2026. See also United States Marine Corps Aviation List of United States Marine Corps aircraft squadrons Citation References Bibliography Web VMA-231's official website 231 Military units and formations of the United States in the Banana Wars