Independence arrived to the area on February 4. VF-154 was leading the first CVW-5 flight package into southern Iraq within 24 hours. Although the tension eased the carrier and air wing remained on station until the end of May. Several missions were flown each day as part of Operation Southern Watch. With their new LANTIRN pods VF-154 were able to provide high quality video of potential targets day or night. In July 1998 CVW-5 made their last cruise on board USS Independence. After a cross Pacific transit to Pearl Harbor the air wing cross decked to their new home – USS Kitty Hawk. During the transfer, USS Kitty Hawk picked up the "Don't Tread On Me" Jack – signifying her as the oldest ship on active service. Once again the shore period was short, on August 30 the air wing and carrier departed once more. Training began with a VF-154 organised MISSILEX – the F-14's shooting four AIM-54s and downing four targets. The cruise continued with Foal Eagle exercises in the seas around Korea. By the time the squadron returned to port during November they had spent 240 days at sea. The squadron gaining numerous awards, most notably the Pacific Fleet Battle 'E', Safety 'S' and 'Boola-Boola' missile awards and the Clifton award. In January 1999 squadron aircraft deployed to Guam for SFARP training. A few weeks later they received their first Digital Flight Control System (DFCS) equipped jets. On the March 2, VF-154 sailed on board USS Kitty Hawk for their first full WESTPAC deployment. During the four months of cruise the squadron took part in Tandem Thrust '99, an unexpected Persian Gulf period (due to being called to cover events in Kosovo), plus port visits to Hong Kong, Thailand and Singapore. The cruise also saw a new first – two Naval Aviators reaching 1,000 traps on the same day. Captain. R. McHarg, Commander, Air Group of CVW-5 landed on board in a specially painted VF-154 F-14A. His pilot for the historic trap was Lieutenant. D. Baxter. Later the same day the Commanding Officer of VFA-27, Commander. K. Hutcheson, made his landing in an F/A-18. Both landings took place in the Persian Gulf, where USS Kitty Hawk and CVW-5 completed 5,426 sorties, including 1,356 combat missions over Southern Iraq. 2000's Between 1999 and 2002, VF-154 would participate in five deployments in the Pacific as well as the Indian Ocean.