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Electronic Attack Squadron 133 (VAQ-133) is an
EA-18G Growler The Boeing EA-18G Growler is an American carrier-based electronic warfare aircraft, a specialized version of the two-seat F/A-18F Super Hornet. The EA-18G replaced the Northrop Grumman EA-6B Prowlers in service with the United States Navy. ...
squadron of the
United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
based at
Naval Air Station Whidbey Island Naval Air Station Whidbey Island (NASWI) is a naval air station of the United States Navy located on two pieces of land near Oak Harbor, on Whidbey Island, in Island County, Washington. The main portion of the base, Ault Field, is about ...
,
Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...
. Beginning in 2013, the squadron began the transition from the
EA-6B The Northrop Grumman (formerly Grumman) EA-6B Prowler is a twin-engine, four-seat, mid-wing electronic-warfare aircraft derived from the A-6 Intruder airframe. The EA-6A was the initial electronic warfare version of the A-6 used by the United ...
to the EA-18G. Upon completion of the transition in spring of 2014, they returned to their attachment to
Carrier Air Wing Nine Carrier Air Wing Nine (CVW-9) is a United States Navy aircraft carrier air wing based at Naval Air Station Lemoore. The Air Wing is currently assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72). The Tail Code of aircraft assigned to ...
. The squadron's nickname is "Wizards" and its radio callsign is "Magic".


Squadron history

There have been two squadrons designated VAQ-133. The first squadron was established 4 March 1969 at
Naval Air Station Alameda Naval Air Station Alameda (NAS Alameda) was a United States Navy Naval Air Station in Alameda, California, on San Francisco Bay. NAS Alameda had two runways: 13–31 measuring and 07-25 measuring . Two helicopter pads and a control tower were ...
, California. The squadron originally flew the EKA-3B Skywarrior. In August 1971, it relocated to
NAS Whidbey Island Naval Air Station Whidbey Island (NASWI) is a naval air station of the United States Navy located on two pieces of land near Oak Harbor, on Whidbey Island, in Island County, Washington. The main portion of the base, Ault Field, is about t ...
and transitioned to the
EA-6B The Northrop Grumman (formerly Grumman) EA-6B Prowler is a twin-engine, four-seat, mid-wing electronic-warfare aircraft derived from the A-6 Intruder airframe. The EA-6A was the initial electronic warfare version of the A-6 used by the United ...
Prowler. That squadron was disestablished in June 1992. The current squadron, Electronic Attack Squadron 133 is the second squadron to use that designation. It was established on 1 April 1996 as a land based "expeditionary" squadron flying the EA-6B Prowler. In August 2010 it was assigned to Carrier Air Wing 9. It continues to be a carrier based squadron to the present. Following the 2012-2013 deployment of Carrier Air Wing 9 on board , VAQ-133 was reassigned to Carrier Air Wing Eight based aboard . This reassignment was originally slated to occur in January 2014 but changing operational requirements accelerated this reassignment until immediately after the end of the 2012-2013 deployment. As of mid-2014, VAQ-133 made a transition from the EA-6B to the EA-18G. In 2018 VAQ-133 embarked on an “Around the World” cruise on board the USS ''John C. Stennis'' (CVN 74). During this deployment they flew their first E/A-18G combat missions into Operations INHERENT RESOLVE and FREEDOM’S SENTINEL.


References


External links


VAQ-133 official website


See also

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History of the United States Navy The history of the United States Navy divides into two major periods: the "Old Navy", a small but respected force of sailing ships that was notable for innovation in the use of ironclads during the American Civil War, and the "New Navy" the ...
*
List of United States Navy aircraft squadrons This is a list of active United States Navy aircraft squadrons. ''Deactivated'' or ''disestablished'' squadrons are listed in the List of inactive United States Navy aircraft squadrons. Navy aircraft squadrons are composed of several aircraft (fr ...
Military units and formations in Washington (state) Electronic attack squadrons of the United States Navy {{USN-stub