Attack Squadron 125 (VA 125), known as the "Rough Raiders", was originally established on 11 April 1958 flying the F-9F Cougar from NAS Moffett Field. Its mission then was to provide combat readiness training to fleet replacement pilots and fleet replacement aircraft maintenance personnel. Today, redesignated as Strike Fighter Squadron 125 (VFA 125), the "Rough Raiders" train pilots to fill F/A-18 billets throughout the Navy and Marine Corps.
On 13 November 1980, the "Rough Raiders" made their mark in Naval Aviation history when they were reestablished as VFA 125, the Navy's first F/A-18 squadron. By March 1985, VFA 125 had amassed over 30,000 mishap-free flight hours in the Hornet.
Today, VFA 125 averages 1,500 flight hours monthly and trains approximately 120 pilots each year. Pilots from the United States Navy, the United States Marine Corps, the Royal Air Force, the Canadian Armed Forces, the Spanish Air Force, the Royal Australian Air Force, the Hellenic Air Force, the Kuwait Air Force, and Finnish Air Force have been trained at VFA 125.
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