Virtual Task Force 77

[vTF-77 Command]

 

Virtual Task Force 77 is Calling All Pilots!
Recruitment is NOW OPEN, and we’re hunting for skilled aviators to join our ranks in the ultimate DCS mil-sim experience!

Who We Are:
vTF-77 is a high-octane, West Coast-based DCS task force specializing in fighter, attack, and expeditionary operations. We deliver heart-pounding, realistic missions while keeping the vibe fun and camaraderie tight. Whether you’re drawn to the precision of Air Force, the swagger of Naval aviation, or the grit of Marine ops, our diverse squadrons offer a home for every pilot and controller. Our command teams bring a wealth of real-world and virtual expertise, ensuring you’ll master cutting-edge tactics and soar to new heights.

What We Do:

• Train Like Pros: Every Tuesday and Thursday at 20:00 PST on our dedicated servers.
• Epic Missions & Campaigns: Regularly deploy across our diverse airframes for immersive, story-driven operations.
• Off-Night Shenanigans: Bond with the crew, share laughs, and embrace the dad-joke glory.

We’re Recruiting for:

• F/A-18C Pilots
• F-14B Pilots/RIOs
• F-15E Pilots/WSOs
• F-16C Pilots
• AV-8B Pilots
• F-4 Pilots/RIOs
• Helo Aircrews (AH-64D, Mi-24, OH-58, Ka-50)
• Mission & Campaign Designers
• ATC/AIC Controllers
• JTAC/FAC(A)

What You Bring:

• A mature, respectful attitude with a love for good vibes and epic banter.
• A solid HOTAS setup.
• Willingness to learn (we’ll train you on Discord and SRS if needed).
• Commitment to attend at least 50% of training nights monthly.
• Reliable and coachable with a hunger to dominate the skies.
• Ownership (or ability to acquire) Syria, Persian Gulf, Sinai maps (NTTR recommended) and the Super Carriermodule for naval ops.

What You Get:

• World-Class Training: Learn from seasoned instructors with robust programs.
• Diverse Squadrons: Choose from seven elite squadrons, one aggressor JTAF unit, or our ATC/AIC crew.
• Immersive Missions: Fly on dedicated servers with meticulously crafted campaigns.
• Epic Community: Join a tight-knit, inclusive crew that’s all about the thrill and the laughs.

Ready to take flight with vTF-77? Check out the links below to apply and join the action! Let’s rule the skies together!

Our Discord is https://discord.gg/E8WNwgxhkN

The virtual Task Force Website: https://www.vtf77.com/

Edited May 7 by vTF-77 Command

[vTF-77 Command]

Working Around the Carrier with the Warhawks (VFA-97)
 

VFA-97, a Navy Strike Fighter Squadron, operates as part of a Carrier Air Wing and is integral to carrier-based operations. Their work aboard aircraft carriers involves a range of tasks, from combat missions to daily operations.

[vTF-77 Command]

VF-143, the "Pukin' Dogs," was a U.S. Navy fighter squadron with a significant F-14 presence in the Tomcat era.

• Cold War Operations: Deployed on carriers like USS America (CV-66) and USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69), VF-143 patrolled tense regions (e.g., Mediterranean, Persian Gulf). The squadron intercepted Soviet aircraft, like Tu-95. Bear bombers, during NATO exercises and Cold War standoffs.

• Gulf War (1991): During Operation Desert Storm, VF-143 was part of Carrier Air Wing Seven (CVW-7) on USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, flew F-14 combat air patrols and escort missions, protecting coalition forces over Iraq.

• Nickname and Legacy: The "Pukin' Dogs" nickname originated at a squadron family gathering when a pilot’s wife saw the griffin insignia and remarked, "It looks like a pukin' dog!" The pilots loved it and adopted it on the spot, making it iconic on the F-14’s tail. But perhaps, greatest in their legacy: the Pukin' Dogs stand as one of 3 squadrons to graduate from the very first TOPGUN class. And the first squadron to score an enemy aircraft kill from a TOPGUN graduate!

• Disestablishment (1994): VF-143 was disestablished on April 1, 1994, due to post-Cold War cuts. Its F-14 legacy continued with VFA-143, which transitioned to F/A-18 Hornets.

[vTF-77 Command]

AIM-54 Phoenix

In the frost of the Cold War, as Soviet bombers loomed over the seas, the U.S. Navy sought a weapon to safeguard its carriers. At Hughes Aircraft, engineers crafted the  AIM-54 Phoenix, a missile born to dominate the skies. Paired with the F-14 Tomcat, this 1,000-pound titan, stretching 13 feet, could strike six targets over 100 miles away, soaring at Mach 5 with an active radar seeker that hunted on its own. First launched in 1966, it joined the fleet by 1974, a symbol of American ingenuity. The Phoenix’s AWG-9 radar, synced with the Tomcat, could track a swarm of enemies, making it a fleet’s fiery shield. Pilots, calling “Fox Three, ” unleashed it in training, awed by its reach. Iran’s F-14s, gifted before the 1979 revolution, reportedly wielded it in the Iran-Iraq War, claiming up to 60 kills, though proof remained elusive. For the U.S., the Phoenix stayed silent in conflicts like the 1991 Gulf War, its million-dollar cost and strict rules keeping it leashed. By 2004, as the F-14 retired, the Phoenix was shelved, outshined by the versatile AIM-120 AMRAAM. In 2007, a demilitarized Phoenix roared again, testing hypersonic flight for NASA at Mach 5. Its legacy endures in modern missiles, a testament to its vision. The AIM-54, named for rebirth, never burned bright in battle but left a trail of innovation, a guardian whose shadow still lingers in the skies.

Come and shoot the Phoenix! Our Discord is https://discord.gg/E8WNwgxhkN

Edited April 26 by vTF-77 Command

[vTF-77 Command]

727th EACS “Kingpins”

In the autumn of 1950, as the Cold War’s chill settled over the world, a new unit emerged at Pope Air Force Base, North Carolina. The 727th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, later known as the “Kingpins,” was born to watch the skies and guide the fight. Equipped with radar and radios, its Airmen scanned for threats, their screens glowing in the dim control rooms. Through the 1950s, they stood sentinel, part of the 507th Tactical Control Group, ensuring no enemy slipped through America’s defenses. By 1964, redesignated as the 727th Tactical Control Squadron, they embraced mobile radar systems, ready to deploy wherever the Air Force called.

The Vietnam War tested their resolve. In the late 1960s, the Kingpins, now under the 602nd Tactical Air Control Group, sent detachments to Southeast Asia. From forward bases, they directed air strikes and coordinated fighters, their voices crackling over radios to guide pilots through monsoon-soaked skies. Back home, the 1970s brought new challenges. Redesignated the 727th Tactical Control Squadron (Test) in 1979, they joined the USAF Tactical Air Warfare Center, pioneering advanced command-and-control systems. By 1991, as the 727th Air Control Squadron (Test), they refined tactics for a digital battlefield, but peace’s arrival saw them inactivated in 1995.

The Global War on Terrorism rekindled their fire. In 2005, reborn as the 727th Expeditionary Air Control Squadron, a provisional unit under Air Combat Command, they became “Kingpin” for good, assigned to the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing. Deployed to Balad Air Base, Iraq, in 2005, they orchestrated air operations for Operation Iraqi Freedom, their radars tracking friend and foe alike. By 2011, at Al Dhafra Air Base, UAE, they supported Operation New Dawn’s end, pivoting to Arabian Gulf air defense. Their mission grew, covering Operations Inherent Resolve and Freedom’s Sentinel, directing strikes against ISIS in Iraq and Syria.

In 2021, the Kingpins made history at Al Dhafra. For Women’s History Month, an all-female team—dubbed “Queenpin”—ran a three-hour mission shift, from radar operators to intel analysts, led by Col. Kristen Thompson. Airmen from the U.S., Australia, Canada, and the UK united, proving women’s prowess in command and control. That April, the squadron relocated to Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, after a decade in the UAE, continuing to provide real-time air battle management. By 2023, under Lt. Col. Daniel Longstreet, they stood ready, their legacy celebrated in patches and nose art.

The Kingpins’ story spans decades, from Cold War radar vans to modern digital networks. They’ve earned a Meritorious Unit Award and multiple Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards, their emblem—a crowned chess piece—approved in 1981, symbolizing strategic mastery. As the 728th Battle Management Control Squadron prepares to take their mantle at Robins AFB, the 727th EACS remains a linchpin, weaving airpower into victory, their eyes ever on the skies.
 

Come and fly with live controllers - Website:
 https://www.vtf77.com/?utm_source=discord&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=DCSF

[vTF-77 Command]

389th FS “Thunderbolts”

In the spring of 1943, as the world burned in the fires of war, a new squadron rose from the fields of Richmond, Virginia. The 389th Fighter Squadron, christened the “Thunderbolts, ” took to the skies with the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, a hulking fighter that roared with the promise of power. Born into the 366th Fighter Group, these young pilots—barely men, some still dreaming of home—trained relentlessly, their eyes set on the European Theater. By March 1944, under Colonel Meyer’s steady hand, they flew their first combat mission, a sweep over France’s Bayeux-St Aubin area. Eighteen P-47s thundered into the dawn, meeting little flak and no enemy fighters, but it was a baptism nonetheless. Through the war’s final years, the Thunderbolts carved a path across Europe, escorting bombers, strafing ground targets, and dueling Luftwaffe aces until victory came in May 1945. Their P-47s, scarred but proud, stood silent as the squadron inactivated in 1946, their duty done.

The Cold War’s chill stirred the Thunderbolts awake in 1953, reborn as a fighter-bomber squadron at Alexandria Air Force Base, Louisiana. Now wielding North American F-86 Sabres, they trained for a new kind of war, one of jet speeds and nuclear stakes. Tragedy struck in 1955 when their commander, Lt. Col. John B. England, faced a fog-choked return from gunnery practice near Tripoli, Libya. With fuel starving his Sabre, England glimpsed the runway but saw his men’s barracks in his glide path. “This is not an acceptable risk, ” he radioed calmly, turning his jet into the woods near Toul-Rosières  Air Base. His sacrifice spared his men, and Alexandria was renamed England Air Force Base in his honor, a name it carried until 1993.

The Thunderbolts’ saga continued to unfold, their mission ever-changing. In the 1960s, they traded Sabres for McDonnell F-4 Phantoms and roared into the Vietnam War. From 1966 to 1971, they flew combat missions over Southeast Asia, bombing enemy strongholds and dodging surface-to-air missiles in the sweltering jungles. The Phantoms, painted with the squadron’s lightning-streaked insignia, became a feared sight in the skies. Back home, the 1970s saw them shift to training, guiding aircrews on the General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark from 1979 to 1991, a low-flying beast built for deep strikes. But the Thunderbolts’ restless spirit demanded more.

In 1991, at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, the squadron embraced the General Dynamics F-16C Viper, mastering the Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) role with AGM-88 HARM missiles. Their Block 52 Vipers, equipped with HARM Targeting Systems, hunted enemy radar, while LANTIRN pods and night vision goggles turned night into day for precision strikes. From 2001 to 2002, a Viper adorned with New York firefighter nose-art flew over Afghanistan, honoring the fallen of 9/11 during Operation Enduring Freedom. But change loomed again. The 2005 Base Realignment and Closure axed the F-16s, and by 2006, the Thunderbolts welcomed the McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle, a twin-seat warhorse for close air support and deep strikes. Now at Mountain Home, the Thunderbolts, with 71 personnel and 21 Strike Eagles, are aorce of precision and power. They train in exercises like Red Flag and Combat Hammer, honing skills for global missions. In 2021, they thundered down Nellis runways for Green Flag West, weaving air support with Army ground forces. By 2022, under Lt. Col. Beacher “Magnus” Webb, they deployed to Southwest Asia, flying close air support and counter-air missions for U.S. Central Command, their F-15Es a shield against regional threats. President Biden later hailed them as “among the greatest mankind has ever known, ” a nod to their relentless spirit.

The squadron’s culture is as vibrant as its history. New pilots, dubbed “Sparkies, ” earn the name for their fresh-faced zeal, a nod to a “baby” Thunderbolt. They’re the squadron’s lifeblood, tasked with morale-boosting duties like cooking popcorn, their innocence a counterpoint to war’s grim lessons. Once seasoned by combat or time, they shed the title, passing it to the next generation. Through it all, the Thunderbolts carry their legacy—P-47s over Normandy, Phantoms in Vietnam, Strike Eagles in the desert—a story of sacrifice, adaptability, and unyielding resolve, etched in the skies they still rule.

Come and fly with 389th - Website:
 https://www.vtf77.com/?utm_source=discord&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=DCSF

[vTF-77 Command]

The 409 Nighthawks

In the summer of 1941, as the skies over Britain darkened with the threat of Luftwaffe bombers, a new squadron took flight from the windswept runways of RAF Digby. The 409 Nighthawk Squadron, born under the banner of the Royal Canadian Air Force, was forged in the crucible of World War II. Its pilots, young men from the prairies, forests, and cities of Canada, embraced the night as their domain. They called themselves Nighthawks, a nod to their mission: to hunt German bombers under the cover of darkness. With Boulton Paul Defiants, their turrets bristling in the moonlight, and later the radar-equipped Bristol Beaufighters, they patrolled the black skies, guided by the faint glow of instruments and the courage in their hearts. By 1943, the sleek de Havilland Mosquito became their steed, a wooden wonder that danced through the night, chasing down enemy aircraft and striking airfields deep in occupied Europe. They flew through the chaos of D-Day, their Mosquitoes weaving above the Normandy beaches, shielding the Allied invasion from Luftwaffe raiders. When peace came in 1945, the Nighthawks’ wings were folded, and the squadron disbanded, their legacy etched in the stars.

But the story didn’t end there. The Cold War’s shadow loomed, and in 1954, the Nighthawks were reborn at RCAF Station Comox, on the rugged shores of Vancouver Island. Now, they flew the Avro CF-100 Canuck, Canada’s own jet interceptor, built to meet Soviet bombers in the icy skies of the Arctic. The world had changed, and so had their mission. No longer just night fighters, they stood guard for NORAD, eyes fixed on the horizon for any sign of intrusion. They moved to North Bay, Ontario, in 1957, their Canucks roaring over the Great Lakes, a shield for the heart of Canada. But the Nighthawks were restless, and soon their gaze turned across the Atlantic.

In 1963, the squadron traded the Canuck for the supersonic McDonnell CF-101 Voodoo, a beast armed with missiles and nuclear rockets, and set sail for Europe. Stationed in Germany at RCAF Station Baden-Soellingen, they became knights of NATO, ready to hold the line against the Warsaw Pact. The Voodoo gave way to the nimble Canadair CF-5 Freedom Fighter in the 1970s, a scrappy jet that could strike tanks or dogfight in the skies above the Rhine. For years, the Nighthawks trained in the forests and fields of West Germany, their engines a constant thunder in the Cold War’s uneasy peace, until Canada called them home.

In 1987, the Nighthawks settled at CFB Cold Lake, Alberta, a frozen outpost where the aurora borealis lights the winter sky. Here, they met the McDonnell Douglas CF-18 Hornet, a versatile warrior that could duel in the air or rain precision strikes on the ground. The Hornet carried them into a new era of conflict. In 1991, their jets screamed over the deserts of the Gulf War, guarding skies and striking targets in Operation Desert Storm. In 1999, they flew over the Balkans, their bombs falling on Serbian positions during NATO’s Kosovo campaign. After the towers fell in 2001, the Nighthawks patrolled Canadian airspace, a quiet sentinel for a nation on edge. They soared over Libya in 2011, enforcing no-fly zones, and later joined the fight against ISIS in Iraq and Syria, their Hornets delivering justice from above.

Through it all, Cold Lake remained their home, a place of relentless training and camaraderie. Exercises like Maple Flag and Red Flag tested their mettle, pitting them against allies in mock battles that honed their edge. In 2019, they journeyed to Florida for Combat Archer, firing missiles and dodging threats in the humid skies over Eglin Air Force Base. The Nighthawks’ crest, a hawk in midnight flight, adorned their jets, a reminder of their roots as masters of the dark.

Today, in 2025, the Nighthawks still fly their aging CF-18s, though the jets bear the scars of decades of service. They stand ready for NORAD, NATO, and whatever the world demands, their pilots training for the day when the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II will take their place. The F-35, with its stealth and sensors, promises to carry the Nighthawk spirit into a future of unseen threats—hypersonic missiles, drones, and stealthy foes. Yet, no matter the aircraft, the Nighthawks remain true to their motto, Media nox merides

nunque— “Midnight is our noon. ” From the Blitz to the deserts of Iraq, from the Cold War to the edge of tomorrow, the 409 Nighthawk Squadron has flown through history, a shadow in the sky, always ready to strike.

 

Come and fly with 409 Nigthhawk squadron - Website:
 https://www.vtf77.com/?utm_source=discord&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=DCSF

[flycats2]

I'd be interested if start time rolled back an hour to 1900 PST. 

[vTF-77 Command]

 JTAF Red Eagles

In the late 1970s, as the Cold War simmered and the skies over Vietnam still haunted American pilots, a clandestine operation took root in the desolate expanses of Nevada’s desert. The Joint Task Force Red Eagles, officially the 4477th Test and Evaluation Squadron, was born under the veil of secrecy, its mission as daring as it was vital: to fly Soviet MiG fighters against America’s best, teaching them how to win in the air. Conceived by Colonel Gail Peck, a Vietnam veteran frustrated by the Air Force’s lackluster dogfighting skills, the Red Eagles were a bold answer to a pressing need. Project Constant Peg, their covert program, aimed to expose U.S. pilots to the real thing—enemy aircraft—flown by American hands.

The story began at Tonopah Test Range, a remote airstrip shrouded in mystery, where the Red Eagles set up shop in 1977. Their fleet was a rogue’s gallery of Soviet engineering: MiG-17 Frescos, agile relics from the Korean War; MiG-21 Fishbeds, supersonic workhorses seen worldwide; and later, MiG-23 Floggers, complex swing-wing fighters meant to rival the F-4 Phantom. These jets, acquired through shadowy deals—some from defectors, others from allies like Israel or Egypt—were often battered, lacking manuals or spare parts. Mechanics, working in secrecy, pieced them together with ingenuity, while pilots, a mix of Air Force, Navy, and Marine aviators, learned to master unfamiliar controls, their cockpits labeled in Cyrillic. By July 1979, under Peck’s command, the Red Eagles took flight. With just eight MiGs—two MiG-17s and six MiG-21s—and a skeleton crew of 29, including three Navy pilots, they began operations. The airspace over Nellis Air Force Base, marked “Red Square” on maps, was their arena, closed to prying eyes. Here, they staged dogfights, pitting MiGs against F-4s, F-15s, and F-14s. The goal was simple but profound: eliminate “buck fever, ” the nervous jitters of a pilot’s first combat, and teach tactics to outmaneuver Soviet flyers. A typical sortie started with familiarization, studying the MiG’s quirks, then escalated to one-on-one duels and chaotic multi-jet brawls high above the desert.

The Red Eagles’ impact was immediate. Programs like Red Flag and TOPGUN, inspired by their work, revolutionized air combat training. By 1985, their fleet peaked at 27 MiGs, and over 1,600 U.S. pilots faced them, learning the MiG’s strengths—tight turns, raw speed—and weaknesses, like the MiG-23’s sluggish handling. But the mission wasn’twithout cost. In 1982, Navy Lt. Hugh Brown died in a MiG-17 crash; in 1985, Capt. Mark Postai perished in a MiG-23; and TSgt. Rey Hernandez succumbed to injuries from a fuel cell repair accident. Each loss weighed heavy, a reminder of the risks taken in secrecy.

As the Cold War waned, the Red Eagles’ mission wound down. By 1988, with Soviet technology less mysterious and budgets tightening, Constant Peg ended. The squadron disbanded in 1990, its MiGs mothballed or scrapped, their story buried under classification. Yet their legacy soared. In Operation Desert Storm, American pilots, many trained by the Red Eagles, dominated Iraqi MiGs—Fishbeds and Floggers fell in droves, a testament to lessons learned in Nevada’s skies. The Red Eagles, a joint force of grit and genius, had turned the tide of air warfare, their secret flights a quiet triumph that echoed long after the desert went silent.

Watch the JTAF video ! 

 

 

Come fly With JTAF Apply info on the website https://www.vtf77.com/?utm_source=discord&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=DCSF

 

[flycats2]

Would love to join, but an hour too late of a start for me as missions would invariably run close to midnight. Could you start an hour earlier as I'm sure others like me would be more likely to join.