The S-3A 160155 c/n 394A-1137 joined the USN on September 25, 1976 with VS-30 "Diamond Cutters" until 1983. In 1990 the aircraft was upgraded to an S-3B and in 2000 was assigned to VS-33. The "Screwbirds" transitioned to the S-3B in 1991 and 1993 they became a "Sea Control Squadron" reflecting the multi-role mission of this new aircraft. The actual full name of VS-33 is "World Famous and Internationally Traveled Screwbirds". From November 12 2001 until May 28, 2002 VS-33 was onboard USS Stennis flying in support of "Operation Enduring Freedom".

Designed to meet the US Navy's VSX requirement for an Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) aircraft to replace the S-2 Tracker, the S-3 was first flown on January 21st, 1972. Designed for long-endurance missions, the aircraft features a wide low-swept wing and under-wing mounted, high-bypass turbofan engines that produce a distinctively low-pitch sound, earning the plane the nickname "Hoover" (after the vacuum cleaner). After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the ASW role became less significant and the S-3 was increasingly used for surface warfare, surveillance and aerial refueling missions before being retired from service in 2009.

Info: S-3B Viking - USN VS-32 Maulers, AB705, USS America, Operation Desert Storm 1991