In April 1972, VA-165 participated in Operation Freedom Train, tactical air sorties against military and logistic targets in the southern part of North Vietnam.

In March 1979: Constellation, with VA-165 embarked, was ordered to make a high speed transit to the Indian Ocean from the Philippines in response to the conflict between North and South Yemen.

In October 1981, the squadron received the A-6E TRAM Intruder and became the first operational A-6 unit to deploy with the capability to fire the AGM-84A Harpoon.

[3] From October 1983–January 1984: Ranger, with VA-165 embarked, was extended on station in the Arabian Sea due to the threat by Iran to block oil exports from the Persian Gulf.

In September 1988, USS Nimitz, with VA-165 embarked, operated in the Sea of Japan in support of the Summer Olympic Games in Seoul, Republic of Korea.

In November, their aircraft participated in Operation Earnest Will, the escorting of reflagged Kuwaiti tankers through the Persian Gulf.

That same year, the squadron sailed with the Constellation as the carrier moved back to East Coast around Cape Horn for its SLEP (Service Life Extension Program) overhaul.