In May 2011 VFA-31 Tomcatters sailed on the USS George H.W. Bush during its maiden deployment that would take them to the Mediterranean Sea to conduct operations with the 5th and 6th Fleet. Once arriving VFA-31 began flying in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. This meant numerous ground attacks against ISS targets in Syria as well as peaceful intercepts of MiG-29s. The USS George H.W. Bush and the Tomcatters returned to NAS Oceana. VFA-31 is the second oldest USN squadron and uses the callsign Felix.