Electronic Attack Squadron 133, the Wizards, returned home to Whidbey from a five-month deployment to the Middle East and Eastern Pacific earlier this month after achieving some first-ever accomplishments for the squadron and the Navy.
The Wizards were the first to deploy with the ALQ-249 Next Generation Jammer, a Mid-Band frequency interrupter comprising of two pods per shipset. During their time abroad, aviators developed new tactics and achieved the first arrested landing, where a hook catches a cable to stop the aircraft from moving forward while landing on an aircraft carrier.
The squadron also earned the Commander Electronic Attack Wing Pacific Golden Wrench Award for sustaining mission-readiness throughout the deployment.
The team, comprised of 153 sailors, 18 aircrew and seven EA-18G Growlers departed from Naval Air Station North Island in San Diego in July. The strike group supported U.S. military forces in the Middle East, deterred regional escalation and degraded Houthi weapons storage.
The deployment showed how critical the Growler community is in modern warfare, said Cmdr. Erik Dente, commanding officer of the squadron, in a press release.
“It demonstrated the skill, dedication and perseverance of every VAQ-133 sailor and the families, friends and loved ones who supported them at home,” he said. “I could not be more proud of the sailors, aircrew and support teams who made this deployment an overwhelming success.”
The Wizards also executed training missions supporting the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, a unified combatant command for armed forces headquartered in Hawaii. They participated in a Multi-Large Deck Exercise with the Italian Navy and conducted operations in the South China Sea to “promote a free and open Indo-Pacific.”
The Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group completed more than 11,600 flight hours comprised of 5,500 sorties and over 4,400 fixed-wing aircraft launches and arrests throughout its five months away.
“The dedication of the sailors of VAQ-133 was second to none,” Dente said. “Their hard work kept our Growlers fully mission capable and ensured every mission was a success. Whether from administration, operations, safety, maintenance, intelligence or food service and support divisions, it took every sailor to build and maintain the combat power required during our operations.”
The squadron was happy to reunite with family and friends in time for the holidays, the press release said.
“This deployment will go down in history,” Command Master Chief Frederick Tuiel said. “While it wasn’t filled with port visits, it was defined by impactful combat operations — experiences our sailors will share for years to come. Bringing everyone home safely makes the accomplishment even sweeter.”
Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS O’Kane and USS Stockdale remain deployed in the 5th Fleet area of operations which includes the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Gulf of Aden, North Arabian Sea, Red Sea and parts of the Indian Ocean.
A U.S. Navy officer, assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 14, conducts a pre-flight check on an F/A-18E Super Hornet on the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72). (Courtesy Photo)
Courtesy photo A U.S. Navy officer, assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 14, celebrates a change of command aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72).
