Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 12 | |
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Active | 1956– 1 April 1967 |
Country | United States of America |
Branch | ![]() |
Type | Airborne Early Warning |
Nickname(s) | "Bats" |
Aircraft flown | |
Electronic warfare | E-2 Hawkeye WF-2 Tracer AD-5W Skyraider |
Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 12 (VAW-12), nicknamed the "Bats", was a U.S. Navy Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron. The squadron was disestablished on 1 April 1967. [1]
On 6 July 1948, VAW-2 (Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron TWO) was established at NAS Norfolk. The squadron quickly moved to NAS Quonset Point, and was redesignated VC-12. In succession, it operated the TBM Avenger, AF Guardian, and the AD-5W Skyraider. [1]
In 1956, the squadron was re-designated VAW-12 (Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron TWELVE) and acquired a new aircraft, the "Guppy" version of the Skyraider. In 1961, the WF-2 Tracer, affectionately called the "Willie Fudd", arrived, and the following year the squadron returned to NAS Norfolk. [1]
In July 1966, VAW-12 received its first E-2A Hawkeye and was supplying detachments using two different aircraft aboard ten aircraft carriers of the Atlantic Fleet, as well as training personnel for those detachments. The squadron had grown to over 200 officers and 800 enlisted personnel, and VAW-12 was reorganized as an air wing. [1]
On 1 April 1967, VAW-12 was disestablished and Carrier Airborne Early Warning Wing Twelve was formed to command all Atlantic Fleet Airborne Early Warning (AEW) efforts. Replacement Airgroup Squadron RVAW-120 was formed to train aviators and enlisted personnel in carrier-based AEW aircraft. VAW-121 , VAW-122 , and VAW-123 were formed on the same day from former VAW-12 operating detachments. [2] [3]
The Northrop Grumman E-2 Hawkeye is an American all-weather, carrier-capable tactical airborne early warning (AEW) aircraft. This twin-turboprop aircraft was designed and developed during the late 1950s and early 1960s by the Grumman Aircraft Company for the United States Navy as a replacement for the earlier, piston-engined E-1 Tracer, which was rapidly becoming obsolete. The aircraft's performance has been upgraded with the E-2B and E-2C versions, where most of the changes were made to the radar and radio communications due to advances in electronic integrated circuits and other electronics. The fourth major version of the Hawkeye is the E-2D, which first flew in 2007. The E-2 was the first aircraft designed specifically for AEW, as opposed to a modification of an existing airframe, such as the Boeing E-3 Sentry. Variants of the Hawkeye have been in continuous production since 1960, giving it the longest production run of any carrier-based aircraft.
Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 122 (VAW-122) was an aviation unit of the United States Navy in service from 1 September 1967 to 31 March 1996. Originally nicknamed the "Hummer Gators" and later as "Steeljaws" was a U.S. Atlantic Coast Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron stationed at NAS Norfolk. During its 30 years of existence, the squadron was deployed around the world and saw action from Vietnam to Desert Storm, conducting operations from the Arctic to the tropics.
Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 121 (VAW-121), also known as the "Bluetails", is an Airborne Early Warning (AEW) and Command and control (C2) squadron of the United States Navy, operating the E-2D Hawkeye. Established in 1967, the squadron is based at NAS Norfolk. It is currently assigned to Carrier Air Wing 7 and deploys aboard the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush; VAW-121 is undergoing a scheduled maintenance period.
Fighter Squadron Composite 12 (VFC-12), also known as the "Fighting Omars", is a United States Navy Reserve fighter squadron based at NAS Oceana. It provides adversary training to East Coast Navy air wings. VFC-12 reports to Tactical Support Wing, a component of the Naval Air Force Reserve. The "Fighting Omars" are manned by selected reservists, full-time reservists (FTS) and active duty personnel.
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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 which time it operated the piston-powered EA-1F Skyraider, or Spad. The squadron had the distinctions of being the last Navy unit to operate the A-1 Skyraider, and of making its last carrier deployment, in 1969. The retirement of the Spad marked the beginning of the squadron's decades-long role as a pioneering electronic aggressor squadron. That role ended with electronic aggressor missions being transferred to the Navy Reserve and the squadron's disestablishment at NAS Key West on 1 October 1993.
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