Northrop F-5E/F Tiger II with US Marine Corps

Last revised January 2, 2000



In March of 1986, the US Marine Corps decided to form its own adversary squadron–VFMT-401 “Snipers”, a reserve unit based at MCAS Yuma, Arizona. VFMT-401 was initially equipped with IAI F-21A Kfirs. When the Kfirs were returned to Israel in 1989, they were replaced by F-5Es drawn from storage at Davis Monthan–these planes having previously been operating with the 64th and 65th Agressor Squadrons of the USAF.

As of January 2000, VFMT-401 was operating 11 F-5Es and a single F-5F at MCAS Yuma. There is no replacement in sight, which should leave the Marine Corps with the only pure dissimiar air combat training program still functioning in the US armed forces.

Sources:


  1. The Rise and Fall of the Aggressors, Lindsay Peacock, Air International, July 1995.

  2. Northrop F-5/F-20, Jerry Scutts, Ian Allan Ltd, 1986.

  3. F-5: Warplane for the World, Robbie Shaw, Motorbooks, 1990

  4. Northrop F-5, Jon Lake and Robert Hewson, World Airpower Journal, Vol 25, 1996.

  5. Key to Victory-The Snipers of VMFT-401, Luigino Caliaro, Combat Aircraft, Jan 2000.