. For a recent air show there, headlined by the Blue Angels, the squadron put together their own little four-ship demo team, and by the looks of the video below they did not disappoint.

if you would like to watch it full screen.

The Sundowners trace their roots way back to World War II but in more recent times the squadron rose again out of a nearly-constant detachment of VFC-13 F-5s that were sent from Naval Air Station Fallon in Nevada . Eventually, this detachment became a full-fledged squadron, and thus the Sundowners were born again, this time with the designation as VFC-111 (as in fighter composite squadron), not VF-111.

David "Bio" Baranek is the author of the hit memoir Topgun Days, in which he describes the making…

The unit’s mix of reserve and active naval aviators trains with everyone from the Navy’s most experienced fleet pilots to those that are still learning how to employ their Hornets or Super Hornets as weapons. In doing so they mimic a wide range of tactics used by potential enemy air arms and can adapt their flying techniques to replicate different threat aircraft.

The Sundowners’ F-5s are instantly noticeable by the “rising sun” motif on their tails and shark mouths on their noses. Although the F-5 is geriatric by modern fighter standards, its small visual and radar signature, high maneuverability, and low cost of operation and simplicity still make them valuable tools for dissimilar air combat training (DACT.) Some of the Navy’s F-5s have received jamming equipment where their 20mm cannons once were, making them even more wily.

Still, these jets will either have to be replaced in the coming decade or will require deep upgrades to keep in the air and stay tactically relevant. A radar, like the Israeli-built would offer a huge leap in capability for these F-5s, as would a helmet mounted sight and modern data-link system. The problem is money. The Navy is already and , and although this type of training remains vitally important, it’s not at the top of the Navy’s priority list.

Although the U.S. Air Force , they have , and it is possible that the Navy could do the same. Currently VFC-13, VFC-111, with their cost-effective F-5s, and VFC-12 and VFA-204, with their aging Hornets, provide dedicated adversary support (nearly dedicated when it comes to VFA-204).

For the last few years, the Pentagon's budget blade has been looming over the 65th Aggressor…

The problem is that the possibility of aerial engagements and near-peer state warfare is not decreasing, but increasing. Additionally, with America’s low observability (stealth) monopoly degrading, and the enemy’s electronic attack capabilities increasing, not to mention ever more strict rules of engagement, the chances for within-visual range combat are also growing.

With this in mind, America’s air arms should be doubling down on the type of training VFC-111 provides. Whether this beor by upgrading and expanding established aggressor squadrons is up for debate, but the training is essential and will be for the foreseeable future.

Draken International has exploded onto the commercial adversary support market in the last half…