VF-33, known as the "Starfighters," was a U.S. Navy fighter squadron with a distinguished history. One of the most exciting aspects of VF-33's history is its role as one of the first Navy squadrons to operate the F-11F Tiger in the 1950s, which was the first supersonic fighter used by the Navy. The squadron later transitioned to the F-4 Phantom II in the 1960s, a period during which they were heavily involved in various deployments, including the Vietnam War. In the late 1970s, VF-33 transitioned to the F-14 Tomcat, an aircraft that became synonymous with naval air superiority during the Cold War.

VF-33 was disestablished in 1993, with one of the squadrons, F-14 Tomcats, being the first airframe, the first F-14 to log 5,000 flight hours.