On 14–15 April 1986, squadron aircraft participated in Operation El Dorado Canyon, along with other units of CVW-13 and A-7s from CVW-1, providing air-to-surface Shrike and HARM strikes against Libyan surface-to-air missile sites at Benghazi.

[1] From 15 October 1987 to 12 Apr 1988 the squadron joined Carrier Air Wing Thirteen (CVW-13) and deployed to the Mediterranean Sea aboard USS Coral Sea VFA-131 embarked on USS Independence from 15 August – 8 October 1988 for the carrier's transit from Philadelphia Naval Shipyard to its new home port at NAS North Island via Cape Horn.

[1] One year later, the squadron again deployed aboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower to the Red Sea and North Persian Gulf in support of Operation Desert Storm.

Within hours of the September 11 attacks, armed squadron Hornets were conducting air patrols over Washington, D.C., and New York City as part of Operation Noble Eagle.

In February 2002, the squadron deployed to the North Arabian Sea to take part in Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), flying combat sorties over Afghanistan.

Between June and December 2016 the squadron deployed aboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower with Carrier Air Wing Three in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, flying combat missions in Iraq and Syria.