| Fighter Squadron Composite 111 | |
|---|---|
,_on_23_June_2020_(200623-N-KM072-001).jpg) A squadron F-5N Tiger II at NAS Key West in 2020 | |
| Active | 1 November 2006 – present[1] |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Navy |
| Type | Adversary Squadron |
| Part of |  United States Navy Reserve
|
| Garrison/HQ | .gif){kind=small} Naval Air Station Key West |
| Nickname(s) | "Sun Downers" |
| Motto(s) | Semper Confidens, Numquam Elatus[citation needed] (Latin: "Always Confident, Never Excited") |
| Mascot(s) | Omar[citation needed] |
| Insignia | |
| VFC-111 insignia |  |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Fighter | F-5N/F Tiger II |
Fighter Squadron Composite 111 (VFC-111), also known as the "Sun Downers", is a United States Navy Reserve adversary squadron based at Naval Air Station Key West, Florida. Currently, it operates Northrop F-5N/F Tiger-IIs, of which most are single-seater F-5Ns and one twin-seater F-5F, the "FrankenTiger".
The squadron is composed of experienced active duty junior officers, full-time active duty Training and Administration of the Reserve (TAR) personnel, and mid-grade part-time Selected Reservists (SELRES), with the SELRES pilots having extensive past active duty experience in Navy strike fighter squadrons. This gives the squadron real-world experience, as well as leveraging off that experience by retaining talented instructor fighter pilots that have left active service but transitioned to the Navy Reserve.[2]
- ^ Office of the Chief of Naval Operations (11 April 2012). OPNAV INSTRUCTION 5030.4G (PDF). Washington, D.C.: Department of the Navy. p. 15. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 July 2022. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
- ^ Ted, Carlson. "One-Eleven Heaven" Air Forces Monthly (Key Publishing), Issue 283, October 2011, pp. 48. ISSN 0955-7091. Retrieved: 10 October 2011.