"Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus."
- Editorial that appeared in the New York Sun, September 1897

The Navy began what became the S-3 Viking program in 1964 to replace the piston-powered S-2 Tracker. Known originally as VSX - for "carrier-based antisubmarine warfare aircraft-X" - a formal request for proposal was issued in April 1968. A joint General Dynamics-Grumman team and the then-Lockheed Aircraft Corp. were chosen from among the competitors to refine their proposals.

Although Lockheed had four decades of land-based antisubmarine warfare experience dating back to the World War II-era Hudson, the company had only built one carrier-based aircraft to that point, the T2V-1 SeaStar trainer. To build a strong Navy-oriented team, Lockheed first brought on LTV Aerospace, formerly Vought, with its long history in carrier aviation, as a partner. Then the Federal Systems Division of Sperry Rand was added to develop the aircraft's computerized acoustic detection system, a first for an airborne antisubmarine warfare platform.

The Lockheed team was declared the winner of the VSX competition on August 4th, 1969. One of several speakers at the 2009 retirement ceremony was current Lockheed Martin F-35 Executive Vice President Tom Burbage, who flew the Viking as a Navy test pilot and later ran the S-3 program for the company. He noted that "the S-3 was a unique program. We went from first contract to first contact over a submarine in just three years."

Pictured here is a 1:72 scale replica of a US Navy Lockheed S-3B Viking anti-submarine aircraft that was assigned to VS-24 "Duty Cats", during 1991. Pre-order! Ship Date: September 2026.

Dimensions:
Wingspan: 9-inches
Length: 11-1/2-inches

Release Date: ?

Historical Account: "Duty Cats" - VS-24 was re-established on April 8th, 1960, at NAS Quonset Point, Rhode Island as Air Antisubmarine Squadron TWO FOUR, nicknamed the Scouts, flying the S-2 Tracker and deploying aboard Essex class aircraft carriers of the Atlantic Fleet. With the 1974 closure of NAS Quonset Point due to post-Vietnam War force reductions, the squadron relocated to NAS Cecil Field, Florida and transitioned from the prop-driven S-2G Tracker to the jet-powered S-3 Viking for deployment aboard Forrestal, Kitty Hawk and Nimitz class aircraft carriers.

In 1991, the Scouts deployed to the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Desert Storm; VS-24 crews were responsible for the first S-3B land strike over enemy territory and the first sea strike against a hostile patrol craft. Following the war, Sea Control Squadron TWENTY-FOUR participated in Operation Provide Comfort rendering aid to Kurdish refugees fleeing Iraq.

In 1993, having transitioned from the S-3A to the S-3B Viking, VS-24 was re-designated as Sea Control Squadron TWO FOUR (VS-24) to better reflect the multi-mission role of the S-3B.

In 1995, the Scouts deployed aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) for operations in the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf supporting Operation Southern Watch, and in the eastern Mediterranean in support of NATO strikes against Bosnian-Serb military targets. During Operation Deliberate Force, VS-24 became the first S-3B squadron to launch Tactical Air Launched Decoys (TALD) in support of overland strikes.

In 1997, VS-24 returned to the Red Sea and Persian Gulf to support the ongoing efforts of Operation Southern Watch, and participated in Operation Deliberate Guard in the Mediterranean and Adriatic Seas. During this deployment, the Scouts were the most heavily utilized squadron in the air wing accumulating over 2,300 flight hours while maintaining a 100 percent mission completion rate. Scout crews repeatedly proved the Viking to be the platform of choice for conducting Surface Warfare and Electronic Surveillance.

The movement of VS-24 and its eight S-3B Viking aircraft on October 27th, 1997, began the relocation of VS-24 from NAS Cecil Field to NAS Jacksonville, ten miles east. This move was in compliance with the 1993 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Commission, which ordered NAS Cecil Field be closed by October 1st, 1999. The remainder of VS-24's parent S-3 wing was scheduled to relocate to NAS Jacksonville before the end of December 1997. A total of 48 aircraft in six VS squadrons comprising the entire Atlantic Fleet VS wing ultimately moved to NAS Jacksonville, along with nearly 2,000 military and civilian employees.

Over the years, VS-24 received numerous awards for excellence in operational readiness. These included the Captain Arnold J. Isbell trophy for antisubmarine warfare (ASW) excellence, the COMNAVAIRLANT Battle Efficiency Award, the Silver Anchor Award for retention, the Golden Anchor Award for 1996, the Arleigh Burke Award for the most improved squadron, and the Carrier Air Wing EIGHT (CVW-8) Santa Barbara Shrine Award for ordnance excellence. VS-24 also received the Conventional Weapons Squadron of the Year, the Electronic Warfare Squadron of the Year, and the Commander, U.S. Sixth Fleet's Hook 'Em Award for 1997. The squadron was also awarded multiple Sea Control Wing Atlantic Golden Wrench Awards for maintenance proficiency.

As part of the retirement of the S-3B Viking from the U.S. Navy's operational aircraft inventory, VS-24 was disestablished in ceremonies at NAS Jacksonville in March 2007.