Navy Times
December 2, 2002
Pg. 10

Prowler, Viking Critical To Success Of Any Iraq Mission, Pilots Say

By William H. McMichael, Times staff writer

ABOARD THE HARRY S. TRUMAN — They are two of the unsung heroes of the air wing. They’re grinders. They don’t get the front-page stories their pointy-nosed cousins regularly earn. Hollywood is not knocking down their ready-room doors.

But without the aging EA-6B Prowler and S-3B Viking, the folks who fly the fleet’s camera-friendly Hornets and Tomcats say they couldn’t do their job.

The Prowler, a four-seat jet, can jam and destroy enemy communications and air defenses — a critical capability in combat, particularly, fliers say, over an integrated air-defense system such as Iraq’s. Since the retirement of the Air Force’s EF-111 in 1998, the Prowler is the only aircraft in the U.S. ensemble that can perform those chores.

"Those guys are awesome," said Cmdr. Jeffrey Dodson, 41, a Hornet pilot and commander of Strike-Fighter Squadron 37, at sea in November during the Truman battle group’s final training exercise before its upcoming deployment.

The cruise has the potential for no-fly zone aerial patrols over Iraq as well as out-and-out combat. Whatever the future holds, Dodson said Prowlers will be critical to the air wing’s success.

"We can’t do our mission without ‘em," Dodson said. "We rely on those guys to blind the enemy. Nowadays, half the war is information management. When you take down their ability to gather information, it makes them kind of blind and dumb."

Prowler fliers say they like that feeling of indispensability.

"It’s a great feeling," said Lt. Kevin, 27, a Prowler electronic countermeasures officer with the Electronic Attack Squadron 130 "Zappers," who asked that his last name not be used for security reasons. "We’re not necessarily the most glamorous guys in the air wing. But it’s great to get the responsibility for your aviation brothers and going to a planning- cell meeting and knowing you’re vital to the mission."

Fliers voice similar enthusiasm for the Viking. The twin-engine jets once were used primarily to search for enemy submarines — a mission now assumed by the P-3 Orion and the SH-60 Seahawk helicopter.

But while the Vikings can carry torpedoes and perform anti-surface ship strikes and photo reconnaissance, the versatile jets also serve as carrier-based mini-fuel tankers that circle the ship during air operations and fly long distances to act as a link between the carrier and huge Air Force tankers that skirt combat zones.

"Our goal is zero low-fuel diverts," said Lt. Cmdr. William Buckley, a Viking pilot with Sea Control Squadron 22. "Can’t remember the last time we had one."

Carrier pilots try to carefully plan out the rate at which they expect to burn fuel on a given mission. Once an aircraft enters the holding pattern over the carrier, waiting its turn to land, its tank is generally pretty empty, with enough left for perhaps two passes around the ship.

Fliers know that if they have trouble landing, a Viking is nearby, flying what’s called the "hauling pattern" around the ship, ready to top them off.

"If you get into trouble or bolter, they’ll send you up to the tanker," said Lt. Cmdr. Brett Odom, 32, a Hornet pilot with Strike-Fighter Squadron 37. "They’re great for getting gas. There’s always one overhead when we’re doing flight ops, and two at night for all the recoveries."

In addition to their indispensability, the aircraft have something else in common — they’re not too long for the fleet, and they’ll likely both eventually be replaced by some variant of the Super Hornet.

According to the Navy’s "sundown plan," fliers say the Vikings will be pulled out of air wings between fiscal years 2003 and 2008 as the wings gain their scheduled pair of Super Hornet squadrons. And while nothing has been decided in terms of a Prowler replacement around 2009, budget documents include plans to build a Super Hornet variant, the EA-18G "Growler."

The Prowlers were built between 1971 and 1991. Because of its unique capabilities, the jet is in high demand — yet each carrier group travels with but four, although the Pentagon maintains four land-based expeditionary Prowler squadrons in key areas around the world to supplement those on the carriers. With so few Prowlers on board, maintenance is a high priority.

"It gets a lot of wear and tear," said Aviation Electronics Technician Airman Apprentice Josh Lindsey, 19, of VAQ-130. "It takes a lot to keep this plane up. This is an old plane."

Air wings deploy with eight Vikings, but the jets have a lot of years on them. The last production Viking was delivered in 1978; sailors say keeping them ready to fly can be trying.

"It takes a lot of work," said Aviation Electrician’s Mate 1st Class (AW) Donald Valentine, 39, of VS-22. "You’ve got to stay on top of it or you’ll be overwhelmed."

William H. McMichael is the Hampton Roads bureau chief for Navy Times.