Airborne Command & Control Squadron 116 (VAW-116) is a
US 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 of ...
Command and Control Squadron that deploys aboard as part of
Carrier Air Wing Seventeen
Carrier Air Wing Seventeen (CVW-17), is a United States Navy aircraft carrier air wing based at Naval Air Station Lemoore, California. The air wing is attached to the aircraft carrier .
Mission
To conduct carrier air warfare operations and assi ...
, flying the
E-2C Hawkeye 2000 aircraft. VAW-116 is stationed at
Naval Base Ventura County
Naval Base Ventura County (NBVC) is a United States Navy base in Ventura County, California. Formed by the merger of NAS Point Mugu and CBC Port Hueneme, NBVC is a diverse installation composed of three main locations — Point Mugu, Port Hueneme ...
under the cognizance of Commander, Airborne Command Control and Logistics Wing (COMACCLOGWING). The current commanding officer is Commander Phillip J. Sheridan.
Squadron history
1960s
VAW-116 was established on 20 April 1967, equipped with the E-2A Hawkeye. The squadron completed three
Far-East
The ''Far East'' was a European term to refer to the geographical regions that includes East and Southeast Asia as well as the Russian Far East to a lesser extent. South Asia is sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.
The ter ...
deployments as part of Attack Carrier Air Wing Fifteen and two while attached to
Attack Carrier Air Wing Nine.
1970s
![E-2B Hawkeye VAW-116 1976 bicentennial markings](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5c/E-2B_Hawkeye_VAW-116_1976_bicentennial_markings.jpg)
VAW 116 transitioned to the E-2B from July 1970 to the 1971 deployment with CVW 9 on . In July 1975, VAW-116 transferred to
Attack Carrier Air Wing Eight. Concurrently, the west-coast VAW community, including VAW-116, moved from
NAS North Island
Naval Air Station North Island or NAS North Island , at the north end of the Coronado peninsula on San Diego Bay in San Diego, California, is part of the largest aerospace-industrial complex in the United States Navy – Naval Base Coronado (NB ...
to
NAS Miramar
Marine Corps Air Station Miramar (MCAS Miramar) , formerly Naval Auxiliary Air Station (NAAS) Miramar and Naval Air Station (NAS) Miramar, is a United States Marine Corps installation that is home to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, which is the avi ...
. Reassigned to Carrier Air Wing Eight, the squadron saw duty in the
North Atlantic
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the "Old World" of Africa, Europe and ...
in 1975. In 1976 VAW-116 embarked on for a
Mediterranean
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the e ...
deployment. The squadron transferred to
Carrier Air Wing 17
Carrier Air Wing Seventeen (CVW-17), is a United States Navy aircraft carrier air wing based at Naval Air Station Lemoore, California. The air wing is attached to the aircraft carrier .
Mission
To conduct carrier air warfare operations and assi ...
then embarked on in 1977 and deployed to the Mediterranean and North Atlantic in March 1978. During 1979–1980,
1980s
VAW-116 transitioned to the E-2C and made a
Western Pacific/
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering or ~19.8% of the water on Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia to the east. To the south it is bounded by th ...
deployment from February 26, 1980 to October 15, 1980, aboard USS ''Constellation'' in support of
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
ian Contingency Operations.
The squadron was assigned to Carrier Air Wing TWO in July 1981. On April 7, 1982, the squadron embarked on for a Western Pacific/Indian Ocean deployment. Returning in October 1982, the squadron remained with
Carrier Air Wing Two
Carrier Air Wing Two (CVW-2) is a United States Navy aircraft carrier air wing based at Naval Air Station Lemoore. The air wing is attached to the aircraft carrier .
Subordinate units
CVW-2 consists of 9 Squadrons
History
1940s-50s
Origi ...
aboard , deploying on January 13, 1984. In July 1987, the squadron deployed aboard USS ''Ranger'' for a six-month Western Pacific/Indian Ocean deployment providing support for
Operation Earnest Will
Operation Earnest Will (24 July 1987 – 26 September 1988) was the American military protection of Kuwaiti-owned tankers from Iranian attacks in 1987 and 1988, three years into the Tanker War phase of the Iran–Iraq War. It was the largest nav ...
in the Persian Gulf. On February 24, 1989, the squadron deployed aboard USS ''Ranger'' to the Western Pacific and the Indian Ocean, supporting operations with the
Oman Air Force
The Royal Air Force of Oman ( ar, سلاح الجو السلطاني عمان, Silāḥ al-Jaww as-Sulṭāniy ‘Umān or RAFO) is the air arm of the Armed Forces of Oman.
History Sultan of Oman's Air Force era
The Sultan of Oman's Air Force ...
and
Royal Thai Air Force
"Royal Thai Air Force March"
, mascot =
, anniversaries = 9 April 1937 (Royal Thai Air Force Day)
, equipment =
, equipment_label =
, battles ...
. VAW-116 sailed aboard USS ''Ranger'' on December 8, 1990, to the Western Pacific in support of
Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm
The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a Coalition of the Gulf War, 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Ba'athist Iraq, ...
. During Operation Desert Storm the squadron flew 1,364 total flight hours and spent 93 days on station in the
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf ( fa, خلیج فارس, translit=xalij-e fârs, lit=Gulf of Persis, Fars, ), sometimes called the ( ar, اَلْخَلِيْجُ ٱلْعَرَبِيُّ, Al-Khalīj al-ˁArabī), is a Mediterranean sea (oceanography), me ...
.
1990s
The squadron returned on January 31, 1993, from a Western Pacific deployment in support of
Operation Southern Watch
Operation Southern Watch was an air-centric military operation conducted by the United States Department of Defense from Summer 1992 to Spring 2003.
United States Central Command's Joint Task Force Southwest Asia (JTF-SWA) had the mission of mon ...
in Iraq and
Operation Restore Hope
The Unified Task Force (UNITAF) was a United States-led, United Nations-sanctioned multinational force which operated in Somalia from 5 December 1992 until 4 May 1993. A United States initiative (code-named Operation Restore Hope), U ...
in
Somalia
Somalia, , Osmanya script: 𐒈𐒝𐒑𐒛𐒐𐒘𐒕𐒖; ar, الصومال, aṣ-Ṣūmāl officially the Federal Republic of SomaliaThe ''Federal Republic of Somalia'' is the country's name per Article 1 of thProvisional Constituti ...
, winning the
Battle Efficiency "E" Award for 1992. In February 1993, the squadron commenced a transition from the E-2C Group 0 to the E-2C Group II aircraft. The Group II weapons system represented a tremendous advancement in avionics, communications, propulsion, and navigation systems. In May 1993, VAW-116 deployed to
Panama
Panama ( , ; es, link=no, Panamá ), officially the Republic of Panama ( es, República de Panamá), is a transcontinental country spanning the southern part of North America and the northern part of South America. It is bordered by Cos ...
in support of JTF-4 Joint Task Force Four Operations. Upon returning, the squadron was awarded the AEW Excellence Award for 1992, recognizing them as the premier VAW Squadron for the entire E-2C community. In November 1993, VAW-116 commenced a work-up cycle at
NAS Fallon
Naval Air Station Fallon or NAS Fallon is the United States Navy's premier air-to-air and air-to-ground training facility. It is located southeast of the city of Fallon, east of Reno in western Nevada. Since 1996, it has been home to the U.S. Na ...
, Nevada. This cycle included
RIMPAC 94, in which Carrier Air Wing Two conducted joint operations with five other nations, and culminated in Fleet exercises during August/September 1994.
On 10 November 1994, the Squadron embarked on USS ''Constellation'' on a Western Pacific and the Persian Gulf deployment. The squadron provided AEW and Battle Group coverage off the coast of
North Korea
North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu River, Y ...
and supported Operation Southern Watch over Iraq. In June 1995 and February 1996, the squadron deployed to conduct surveillance operations at
NS Roosevelt Roads, in support of Joint Interagency Task Force East (JIATF-EAST). On 1 April 1997, the squadron embarked on USS ''Constellation'' for a Western Pacific and the Persian Gulf deployment. During the six-month deployment, the squadron provided surveillance of Iraq as part of Operation Southern Watch. In addition, the squadron participated in military exercises with the
Pakistan Air Force
, "Be it deserts or seas; all lie under our wings" (traditional)
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries = ...
. In February and March 1998 the squadron again deployed to NS Roosevelt Roads, to conduct counter-narcotics surveillance operations in support of JIATF-EAST. On 18 June 1999, the Squadron embarked on USS ''Constellation'' for a Western Pacific/Persian Gulf deployment. During the next six months, VAW-116 provided surveillance of Iraq in support of Operation Southern Watch. After this deployment, the squadron was awarded the 1999
Chief of Naval Operations Safety "S".
2000s
In January 2000, the squadron deployed again to conduct surveillance operations at NS Roosevelt Roads in Support of JIATF-EAST.
The squadron deployed aboard USS ''Constellation'' to the Western Pacific and the Persian Gulf from 15 March 2001 to 15 September 2001, providing an airborne early warning for Operation Southern Watch over Iraq. The squadron deployed to
NAS Norfolk
Naval Station Norfolk is a United States Navy base in Norfolk, Virginia, that is the headquarters and home port of the U.S. Navy's Fleet Forces Command. The installation occupies about of waterfront space and of pier and wharf space of the Hampt ...
in support of
Operation Noble Eagle
Operation Noble Eagle (ONE) is the United States and Canadian military operation related to homeland security and support to federal, state, and local agencies. The operation began 11 September 2001, in response to the September 11 attacks..
...
. During this operation, they assisted in providing continual airborne early warning coverage over the East Coast as a result of the
September 11 attacks
The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercia ...
.
VAW-116 embarked on USS ''Constellation'' to the Western Pacific and the Persian Gulf in October 2002. The squadron flew extensive Airborne Battlefield Command and Control missions in support of the
U.S. Army V Corps and the U.S. Marine Corps II MEF's invasion of Iraq and advance on Baghdad during the initial weeks of
Operation Iraqi Freedom
{{Infobox military conflict
, conflict = Iraq War {{Nobold, {{lang, ar, حرب العراق (Arabic) {{Nobold, {{lang, ku, شەڕی عێراق (Kurdish languages, Kurdish)
, partof = the Iraq conflict (2003–present), I ...
.
In November 2003, the squadron began transitioning to the E-2C Hawkeye 2000 airframe. VAW-116 completed the transition in August 2004 with the delivery of the squadron's fourth and final aircraft. The squadron embarked on in October 2004, to execute a surge deployment to the Western Pacific. They completed Integrated Warfare Training in the vicinity of Hawaii before transiting west.
Their deployment was extended when the ''Abraham Lincoln''
Carrier Strike Group
A carrier strike group (CSG) is a type of carrier battle group of the United States Navy. It is an operational formation composed of roughly 7,500 personnel, usually an aircraft carrier, at least one cruiser, a destroyer squadron of at least tw ...
was called to assist in
Operation Unified Assistance
Operation Unified Assistance was the American military's humanitarian response to the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami. On 28 December 2004, elements of the Combined Support Force were deployed to U-Tapao International Airport in Thailand ...
in
Banda Aceh, Indonesia as a result of the
2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami
An earthquake and a tsunami, known as the Boxing Day Tsunami and, by the scientific community, the Sumatra–Andaman earthquake, occurred at 07:58:53 local time (UTC+7) on 26 December 2004, with an epicentre off the west coast of northern Suma ...
. The squadron aided in the effort by sending Sailors ashore to distribute much-needed food and medical aid to the wounded disaster victims.
The squadron returned to sea in March 2006 on a Western Pacific deployment in support of exercises
Foal Eagle
Foal Eagle ( ko, 독수리 연습) is a combined field training exercise (FTX) conducted annually by the Republic of Korea Armed Forces and the United States Armed Forces under the auspices of the Combined Forces Command. It is one of the largest ...
,
Valiant Shield
Exercise Valiant Shield is one of the largest United States military war games held in the Pacific Ocean. Nine Valiant Shield exercises were conducted between 2006 and 2022. According to the Navy, Valiant Shield focuses on cooperation between mi ...
and RIMPAC 2006. Upon their return from deployment in 2006, the squadron upgraded their aircraft with the eight-bladed New Propeller 2000 system (NP2K). This upgrade was completed in March 2007, just after the squadron returned from detachment to NAS Fallon. In May 2007, the squadron completed NP2K carrier qualification aboard off the Virginia Coast. In March 2008, the squadron embarked on a seven-month deployment with Carrier Air Wing Two aboard USS ''Abraham Lincoln'' to the
U.S. Fifth Fleet Area of Responsibility (AOR) where they flew 266 combat missions in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq and
Enduring Freedom
Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) was the official name used synonymously by the U.S. government for both the War in Afghanistan (2001–2014) and the larger-scale Global War on Terrorism. On 7 October 2001, in response to the September 11 at ...
in Afghanistan.
In March 2008, the squadron embarked with Carrier Air Wing Two aboard USS ''Abraham Lincoln'' for deployment to the U.S. Fifth Fleet Area of Responsibility. They participated in Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom and provided tanker and airspace management for strike and support aircraft. During the deployment, the squadron earned the CVW-2 Deployment Top Hook award and the Chief's Mess was presented the Broadsword Award for the best CPO Mess in CVW-2. They returned home in October 2008.
2010s
![Operation Inherent Resolve 150211-N-TP834-143](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/29/Operation_Inherent_Resolve_150211-N-TP834-143.jpg)
The squadron once again deployed with Carrier Air Wing Two aboard USS ''Abraham Lincoln'' on September 11, 2010, for a 6-month cruise to the 5th Fleet AOR. The squadron supported Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and
Operation New Dawn in Iraq until they returned home in March 2011. In April and May 2011 the squadron transitioned to the E-2C CNS/ATM Hawkeye 2000 all-
glass cockpit
A glass cockpit is an aircraft cockpit that features electronic (digital) flight instrument displays, typically large LCD screens, rather than the traditional style of analog dials and gauges. While a traditional cockpit relies on numerous mech ...
variant of the E-2C. In December 2011 Carrier Air Wing Two and VAW-116 once again deployed on USS ''Abraham Lincoln'' for an eight-month around the world deployment to the Fifth Fleet AOR in direct support of Operation Enduring Freedom. On July 17, 2012, USS ''Abraham Lincoln'' transited through the
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal ( arz, قَنَاةُ ٱلسُّوَيْسِ, ') is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea through the Isthmus of Suez and dividing Africa and Asia. The long canal is a popular ...
on their way home to the United States; the deployment concluded on August 3, 2012, when the squadron flew 4 aircraft from USS ''Abraham Lincoln'' off the Virginia coast back to
NAS Point Mugu
Naval Air Station Point Mugu was a United States naval air station near Oxnard, California, which operated as an independent base from 1941 to 2000, when it merged with nearby Naval Construction Battalion Center Port Hueneme to form Naval Base V ...
.
In October 2012 VAW-116 joined Carrier Air Wing 17 as a member of
Carrier Strike Group One
Carrier Strike Group One (CSG-1 or CARSTRKGRU 1) is a U.S. Navy carrier strike group. is the strike group's current flagship, and other units currently assigned are the ship's Carrier Air Wing 2 and embarked Destroyer Squadron 1, deployed with ' ...
attached to USS ''Carl Vinson''.
From October 2014 to March 2015, the squadron was deployed along with the USS ''Carl Vinson'' battle group and assisted with
Operation Inherent Resolve
Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR) is the U.S. military's operational name for the International military intervention against IS, including both a campaign in Iraq and a campaign in Syria, with a closely-related campaign in Libya. Throu ...
to assist with military intervention against the
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).
The squadron returned home in April 2015
Popular culture
VAW-116 became "semi-famous" in 2006 for its remake of the "
Pump It
"Pump It" is a song recorded by American group the Black Eyed Peas for their fourth studio album '' Monkey Business'' (2005). It was written by group members will.i.am, apl.de.ap and Fergie, and produced by will.i.am. The song heavily incorpora ...
" music video, by
The Black Eyed Peas
Black Eyed Peas (also known as The Black Eyed Peas) is an American musical group consisting of rappers will.i.am, apl.de.ap, Taboo. The group's line-up during the height of their popularity in the 2000s featured Fergie, who replaced Kim Hil ...
. The video originated as a project on board ship to fight off boredom and to boost morale but stemmed into what is almost a full-fledged production and a free recruiting ad for the Navy, recording over 4,000,000 views on YouTube. The crew has since recorded two more video remakes -
Outkast's video "
Hey Ya!
"Hey Ya!" is a song performed by American hip-hop duo Outkast, specifically group member André 3000, who wrote and produced the song. Along with "The Way You Move", recorded by Outkast's other member Big Boi, "Hey Ya!" was released by Arista ...
," which included every single member of the Sun Kings and "
Move Along
''Move Along'' is the second studio album by the American rock band The All-American Rejects, released on July 12, 2005, by Interscope Records. It spawned three top 15 singles, which helped the album ship 2 million units to be certified double ...
" - both of which have recorded over a million viewers. "Pump It" and "Hey Ya!" have been shown on national television and news stations in other countries.
Insignia
The VAW-116 insignia consists of a solid maroon circle behind a white and gold sun with a
fasces
Fasces ( ; ; a ''plurale tantum'', from the Latin word ''fascis'', meaning "bundle"; it, fascio littorio) is a bound bundle of wooden rods, sometimes including an axe (occasionally two axes) with its blade emerging. The fasces is an Italian symbo ...
in the center, above a gold banner with "VAW-116" written on it in maroon.
See also
*
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 squadron (aviation), squadrons are composed of ...
References
External links
VAW-116 Official Website
Carrier Air Wing TWOCommander, Airborne Command Control and Logistics Wing
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vaw-116
Early warning squadrons of the United States Navy