The Perpetual Prowler Tribute

[HeyJoe]

030403-N-3241H-005 Pacific Ocean (Apr. 3, 2003) -- A flight deck ‘Shooter’ goes through the final stage of safety checks before signaling the launch of an EA-6B Prowler assigned to the "Yellow Jackets" of Electronic Attack Squadron One Three Eight (VAQ-138) from one of four steam driven catapults on the flight deck of USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70). Carl Vinson and her embarked Carrier Air Wing Nine (CVW-9) are on deployment in the western Pacific Ocean, conducting missions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, or other missions as may be directed. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate Airman Dustin Howell. (RELEASED)

 

[jollygreen07]

So THIS is that airplane everyone thinks I fly.

College friend: You fly the E-6? Is that the radar jammer airplane?
Me: *Facepalm*

 

[HeyJoe]

030325-N-9060G-018 Pacific Ocean (Mar. 25, 2003) -- Aviation Boatswain's Mate 3rd Class Dennis O'Connell signals as an EA-6B Prowler assigned to the “Vikings” of Electronic Attack Squadron One Two Nine (VAQ-129) as it prepares to launch from one of four steam catapults on the flight deck of USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74). Stennis is conducting pilot carrier qualifications off the southern California Coast. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate Airman Michael Geary. (RELEASED)

 

[HeyJoe]

THIS is what I REALLY fly!

So THIS is that airplane everyone thinks I fly.

College friend: You fly the E-6? Is that the radar jammer airplane?
Me: *Facepalm*

030429-N-9999Z-001 Cecil Field, Fla. (Apr. 29, 2003) -- An E-6B Mercury is being moved into a Hanger at the Boeing Aerospace Support Center, Cecil Field Fla., to be retrofitted with a new cockpit and an advanced communications package. The E-6B is a dual-mission aircraft capable of fulfilling either the E-6A mission or the airborne strategic command post mission and is equipped with an airborne launch control system (ALCS). The ALCS is capable of launching U.S. land based intercontinental ballistic missiles. U.S. Navy photo. (RELEASED)

 

[A4sForever]

030328-N-1810F-017 The Arabian Gulf (Mar. 28, 2003) -- An EA-6B Prowler assigned to the “Gaunlets” of Electronic Attack Squadron One Three Six (VAQ-136) prepares to land on the flight deck aboard the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63)....

Back to the future .... or the more things change ... ???

'IRONCLAW' is in there somewhere .... VAQ-136 on their initial cruise on The 'HAWK:

image by A4sForever

 

[HeyJoe]

030409-N-4843P-001 Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan. (Apr. 9, 2003) -- An EA-6B Prowler plane captain, Aviation Ordnanceman 3rd Class Angela Sobieski, assigned to the “Yellow Jackets” of Electronic Attack Squadron One Thirty Eight (VAQ-138), communicates with the aircrew using hand signals as she conducts pre-flight checks on the flight line. VAQ-138 is currently embarked aboard USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) with Carrier Air Wing Nine (CVW-9) on deployment in the western Pacific Ocean, conducting missions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 2nd Class Anthony Pugliani. (RELEASED)

030409-N-4843P-003 Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan. (Apr. 9, 2003) -- During pre-flight checks, an EA-6B Prowler plane captain, Aviation Ordnanceman 1st Class Pepper Ringenberg, assigned to the “Yellow Jackets” of Electronic Attack Squadron One Thirty Eight (VAQ-138), communicates to the aircrew to remove their hands from all controls as arming pins are removed. VAQ-138 is currently embarked aboard USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) with Carrier Air Wing Nine (CVW-9) on deployment in the western Pacific Ocean, conducting missions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 2nd Class Anthony Pugliani. (RELEASED)

 

[HeyJoe]

030411-N-7575W-003 The Arabian Gulf (Apr. 11, 2003) -- An EA-6B Prowler assigned to the “Gauntlets” of Electronic Attack Squadron One Thirty Six (VAQ-136) makes an arrested landing on the flight deck aboard USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63). Kitty Hawk and Carrier Air Wing Five (CVW-5) are deployed conducting combat missions in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Operation Iraqi Freedom is the multi-national coalition effort to liberate the Iraqi people, eliminate Iraq's weapons of mass destruction, and end the regime of Saddam Hussein. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 3rd Class Jason R. Williams. (RELEASED)

 

[HeyJoe]

030413-N-9319H-004 The Arabian Gulf (Apr. 13, 2003) -- Aircrews assigned to EA-6B Prowlers from the “Black Ravens” of Electronic Attack Squadron One Thirty Five (VAQ-135) prepare for flight operations on the flight deck aboard USS Nimitz (CVN 68). Nimitz and Carrier Air Wing Eleven (CVW-11) is deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, the multi-national coalition effort to liberate the Iraqi people, eliminate Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction, and end the regime of Saddam Hussein. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate Airman Apprentice Angel G Hilbrands. (RELEASED)

 

[jitiola]

A bit off topic...

What role exactly is the Prowler playing now in OIF? I can't really imagine and feasible anti-air threat that would be causing problems now that the "bad guys" have chosen a war of attrition.

 

[HeyJoe]

030415-N-4560C-501 Mediterranean Sea (Apr. 15, 2003) -- Crewmembers from the “Shadow Hawks” of Electronic Attack Squadron One Four One (VAQ-141) perform maintenance on an EA-6B Prowler aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71). The “Shadow Hawks” are part of Carrier Air Wing Eight (CVW-8) currently embarked aboard Roosevelt conducting operations in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Operation Iraqi Freedom is the multi-national coalition effort to liberate the Iraqi people, eliminate Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction, and end the regime of Saddam Hussein. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate Airman Apprentice Jeffrey Carl. (RELEASED)

 

[HeyJoe]

030417-N-4441P-012 Arabian Gulf (Apr. 17, 2002) -- An EA-6B Prowler assigned to the “Black Ravens” of Electronic Attack Squadron One Three Five (VAQ-135) navigates during a Surface Search Contact (SSC) mission in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. USS Nimitz (CVN 68) and her embarked Carrier Air Wing Eleven (CVW-11) are on deployment conducting combat missions in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Operation Iraqi Freedom is the multi-national coalition effort to liberate the Iraqi people, eliminate Iraq's weapons of mass destruction, and end the regime of Saddam Hussein. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 2nd Class Michael J. Pusnik Jr. (RELEASED)

030418-N-2385R-010 Arabian Gulf (Apr. 18, 2002) -- An EA-6B Prowler assigned to the “Black Ravens” of Electronic Attack Squadron One Three Five (VAQ-135) launches from one of four steam driven catapults on the flight deck of USS Nimitz (CVN 68). Nimitz and her embarked Carrier Air Wing Eleven (CVW-11) are on deployment conducting combat missions in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Operation Iraqi Freedom is the multi-national coalition effort to liberate the Iraqi people, eliminate Iraq's weapons of mass destruction, and end the regime of Saddam Hussein. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 3rd Class Yesenia Rosas. (RELEASED)

 

[Brett327]

A bit off topic...

What role exactly is the Prowler playing now in OIF? I can't really imagine and feasible anti-air threat that would be causing problems now that the "bad guys" have chosen a war of attrition.

The Prowler does a lot more than just SEAD. We'll have to leave it at that.

Brett

 

[HeyJoe]

030422-N-7265L-043 Pacific Ocean (Apr. 22, 2003) -- An EA-6B Prowler from the "Yellow Jackets" of Electronic Attack Squadron One Thirty Eight (VAQ-138) receives final checks before launching from one for four steam powered catapults on the flight deck aboard USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70). Carl Vinson and Carrier Air Wing Nine (CVW-9) are participating in the military training exercise Tandem Thrust ‘03 in the Mariana Island training area. The exercise will focus on crisis action planning and execution of contingency response operations. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 2nd Class Inez Lawson. (RELEASED)

 

[HeyJoe]

030430-N-6410T-507 Mediterranean Sea (Apr. 30, 2003) -- An EA-6B Prowler assigned to the "Shadowhawks" of Electronic Attack Squadron One Forty One (VAQ-141) lands on the flight deck of USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), which is currently deployed conducting operations in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Operation Iraqi Freedom is the multi-national coalition effort to liberate the Iraqi people, eliminate Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction and end the regime of Saddam Hussein. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate Airman Apprentice Chris Thamann. (RELEASED)

 

[HeyJoe]

030421-N-0295M-008 Indian Ocean (Apr. 21, 2003) -- An EA-6B Prowler assigned to the “Lancers” of Electronic Attack Squadron One Thirty One (VAQ-131) launches from one of four steam powered catapults on the flight deck aboard USS Constellation (CV-64) for a unit level training mission. Constellation and Carrier Air Wing Two (CVW-2) are currently on deployment conducting missions in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Operation Iraqi Freedom is the multi-national coalition effort to liberate the Iraqi people, eliminate Iraq's weapons of mass destruction, and end the regime of Saddam Hussein. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 2nd Class Daniel J. McLain. (RELEASED)

030508-N-9712C-047 The Indian Ocean (May 8, 2003) -- An EA-6B Prowler assigned to the “Lancers” of Electronic Attack Squadron One Thirty One (VAQ-131) launches from the flight deck aboard USS Constellation (CV 64). Constellation and Carrier Air Wing Two (CVW-2) are returning to homeport following their deployment in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate Airman John P. Curtis. (RELEASED)

030513-N-0295M-004 The Pacific Ocean (May 13, 2003) -- As an F/A-18C Hornet assigned to the “Death Rattlers” of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron Three Twenty Three (VMFA-323) prepares to launch in the background, as an EA-6B Prowler assigned to the “Lancers” of Electronic Attack Squadron One Thirty One (VAQ-131) prepares to launch from the flight deck aboard USS Constellation (CV 64). Constellation and Carrier Air Wing Two (CVW-2) are returning to their homeport following their deployment in support of Operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 2nd Class Daniel J. McLain. (RELEASED)