VAW

If you mean in the context of US Navy squadron designations for fixed wing early warning squadron's, it THINK it would be Vertical Airborne Warning?

Sounds good to me. I am reading FSM and have now come across VFA, a strike team designation but what does that acronym stand for? Thanks for the help from a newbie.  

That would be a Fixed Wing Fighter Attack Squadron. All their fixed wing squadrons start with V, as opposed tomost of their rotary rattle cans which start with an H - the H speaks for itself.

I am assuming that the V is for vertical, a I can't think of anything else that would be relevant, but there may be some historical reason for it.

Here is a usefull link for most of the US Navy acronyms;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._Navy_acronyms

OK, after a bit of research it looks like in the 1920 the secretary of the US Navy implemented a new system, which defined lighter than air assets as Z & heavier than air as V.

The V is though to originate from the French word Volplane, which means to glide or soar - this is the understanding of the origin, but not conclusive or factual. I think you can probably figure why airships were designated Z?

http://www.history.navy.mil/avh-1910/APP16.PDF

"junkie' - thanks for doing the hard work for me! Going back to 1920 is pretty cool, and the link to Wikipedia will keep me from having to ask any more.      

Thanks for the help.