In December 1980 , the squadron received immediate deployment orders to NAS Keflavik , Iceland . As a result of numerous VAW-124 directed intercepts of Soviet TU-95 " Bear " reconnaissance aircraft , the squadron acquired the new nickname " Bear Aces . " On 19 August 1981 , during the Gulf of Sidra incident , F-14 Tomcats under the control of a VAW-124 intercepted and shot down two Libyan SU-22 " Fitter " fighter aircraft . In June 1985 , VAW-124 provided tracking of hijacked TWA Flight 847 as it crisscrossed the Mediterranean . The squadron was awarded their second COMNAVAIRLANT Battle Efficiency Award at the conclusion of 1987 and completed over sixteen years and 32,000 hours of mishap-free flying
TWA Flight 847
TWA Flight 847
VAW-124