in several exercises with regional air forces, including Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. The air wing returned home on 29 July. 1990s Original Navy plans saw VF-51 and VF-111 becoming the first deployable squadrons to transition to the F-14D Super Tomcat, however these plans were cancelled in December 1991. After moving back to the Kitty Hawk with CVW-15, VF-51 participated in RIMPAC 1992 between June and July 1992. The squadron along with the rest of CVW-15 left on their 1992 WESTPAC cruise on 3 November 1992. After relieving the USS Ranger CV-61 and CVW-2 on 18 December, VF-51 and the rest of the air wing took up station off the coast of Somalia as part of Operation Restore Hope. After an Iraqi MiG-25 was shot down by a USAF F-16D, on 27 December 1992, the VF-51 and CVW-15 were ordered to the Persian Gulf. By 1 January, the squadron as well as other CVW-15 assets had flown a total of 51 CAP missions. On 13 January 1993, VF-51 along with VF-111 together contributed four of their F-14As as escort for an air strike targeting SAM sites in Southern Iraq. After turning over to CVW-9 and the USS Nimitz CVN-68 on 18 March, VF-51 returned back on 3 May 1993. VF-51 and CVW-15 began their final deployment on 24 June 1994. Originally slated to be another Southern Watch deployment, the Air Wing was diverted to the Korean Peninsula in light of the Nuclear crisis and the recent death of North Korean leader Kim Il-Sung. On 11 July 1994, NL-102 (An F-14A assigned to VF-51) struck the back deck of the Kitty Hawk while landing in stormy seas and split into two pieces. Both the Pilot and RIO ejected from the fireball but the Pilot landed into the flames. Despite this, he survived although he received serve burns. Secretary of the Navy John H. Dalton visited the ship on 15 October to award those who saved the pilot's life. VF-51 arrived back from their last cruise on 22 December 1994. On 31 March 1995, the squadron was decommissioned. Role in the Top Gun franchise In 1985, VF-51 was one of several NAS Miramar based squadrons to participate in the filming of Top Gun. Some VF-51 and VF-111 aircraft were repainted in fictitious squadron markings for the film. To be able to film the sequences, the F-14s were fitted with cameras mounted in pods