VFA-211 “Checkmates” F/A-18E NAS Oceana poster art. Strike Fighter Squadron 211 (VFA-211), nicknamed the“Fighting Checkmates”, is an aviation unit of the United States Navy established in 1945. VFA-211 is an F/A-18E squadron based out of NAS Oceana. They are a recently transitioned squadron from two seat to single seat aircraft. Their callsign is “Nikel”, which originated in Vietnam when the squadron flew F-8’s.
