CVW-14 “Stings and Kings”

Mission Brief

CVW-14 is a MILSIM-LITE group focused solely on Naval Aviation, though we do have some weirdos who enjoy flying the Herky Bird on off nights. What do we mean by MILSIM-LITE? We endeavor to fly the Hornet by the book as much as we can (sorry, Tom Cruise!) but we forego the more mundane aspects of military aviation to focus on the fun. We do not completely throw reality to the wind, but this is not a Yes Sir-No Sir environment!

We fly as a squadron on Thursday evenings at 2030 (8:30 PM US Eastern). We have a dedicated Mission Planning staff which meets on Tuesday nights to craft missions and briefs. Expect full formal briefs and coordination between more than 20 jets in the air at a time, and that’s on a slow week! We generally operate in cycles, with a 10-12 week cruise followed by a combined training cycle for new folks and skill refreshers for cadre, followed by about a month of workups and another cruise.

The Flight Line

Squadron Life—Fly, Fight, and Win Together

At VFA-161 Fighting Stingrays, we don’t just fly—we live for the skies. Whether you’re pulling Gs in combat or hanging out in the ready room, life in our squadron is all about camaraderie, skill-building, and adrenaline-pumping missions.

Thursday Night is Flight Night

Thursday nights are sacred. That’s when the Stingrays take to the skies for our official Flight Night—a weekly event packed with:

• Mission-Oriented Flights – Strike packages, fleet defense, and deep interdiction missions that test your tactical skills.
• Carrier Operations – Nail your traps and master the art of naval aviation from launch to recovery.
• Coordinated Teamwork – Work with your squadmates to plan, execute, and debrief like the pros.
• Non-Stop Action – Whether you’re dogfighting at 30,000 feet or dodging SAMs, no two Thursdays are ever the same.

Rules of Conduct

We’re a diverse and inclusive group. Period, full stop. We don’t discriminate based on race, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, or any other damn thing. We don’t tolerate anyone who does, either. Take that shit somewhere else.