VAQ-35, nicknamed the ''Greywolves'', was a short-lived Tactical Electronic Warfare 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 ...
. The squadron was officially established by the
Chief of Naval Operations
The chief of naval operations (CNO) is the professional head of the United States Navy. The position is a statutory office () held by an admiral who is a military adviser and deputy to the secretary of the Navy. In a separate capacity as a memb ...
on 14 August 1991, but had actually been operating since June. Most of its equipment and personnel came from the
VAQ-142
Electronic Attack Squadron 142 (VAQ-142), also known as "The Gray Wolves", is an EA-18G Growler squadron of the United States Navy stationed at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Oak Harbor, Washington. Their tailcode is AJ and their Air traffic con ...
''Grim Watchdogs'', a fleet
EA-6B Prowler
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 S ...
squadron which had stood down on 1 April. VAQ-35 joined
VAQ-33
VAQ-33, nicknamed the ''Firebirds'', was a Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron of the U.S. Navy, serving for 44 years (1949-1993) under various designations and with a constantly-evolving group of aircraft. It was designated VAQ-33 in 1968, at ...
and
VAQ-34
VAQ-34, callsign ''Flashbacks'', was a Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron of the U.S. Navy. It was established on 1 March 1983 at the Pacific Missile Test Center, Point Mugu, California, under the Fleet Electronic Warfare Support Group. The squa ...
, the other electronic aggressor squadrons of the
Fleet Electronic Warfare Support Group The Fleet Electronic Warfare Support Group's (FEWSG) mission as part of the US Navy was to provide electronic warfare simulation in a controlled environment during fleet exercises to help operators deal with EW threats, VAQ-33, VAQ-34 and VAQ-35 wer ...
in their mission of providing training for fleet radar operators in countering
radar jamming and deception
Radar jamming and deception is a form of electronic countermeasures that intentionally sends out radio frequency signals to interfere with the operation of radar by saturating its receiver with noise or false information. Concepts that blanket the ...
. The squadron also assisted with
electronic warfare
Electronic warfare (EW) is any action involving the use of the electromagnetic spectrum (EM spectrum) or directed energy to control the spectrum, attack an enemy, or impede enemy assaults. The purpose of electronic warfare is to deny the opponen ...
evaluations for research and development, and in developing electronic warfare tactics and countertactics.
When the Navy made a budgetary decision to transfer the electronic aggressor mission to the
Navy Reserve, VAQ-35 was destined to have a short life. On 7 October 1993, the squadron was disestablished at
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 ...
, Washington. In their two years of operation, the ''Greywolves'' made over 42 deployments to over 16 locations, including
Bermuda
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Hawaii
Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...
, and
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and Unincorporated ...
.
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 inactive United States Navy aircraft squadrons
There are hundreds of US Navy aircraft squadrons which are not currently active dating back to before World War II (the U.S. Navy operated aircraft prior to World War I, but it did not organize them in squadrons until after that war). To be mo ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vaq-35
Electronic attack squadrons of the United States Navy