Prowlers Depart on Last Carrier Deployment

The Feb. 14 departure of the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush on its current deployment from Norfolk Naval Station, Va., marks the final scheduled carrier deployment of the EA-6B Prowler electronic attack aircraft.
Unless another carrier with a squadron of Prowlers surges over the next year, the deployment of Electronic Attack Squadron 134 (VAQ-134) on the George H.W. Bush will be the last carrier cruise for the EA-6B.
The EA-6B will be retired from Navy service in 2015, but will continue in Marine Corps service until 2019.
The Prowler made its first deployment in 1971 during the Vietnam War. Grumman Aircraft Corp. built 170 EA-6Bs.
Upon its return from deployment, VAQ-134 will convert to the Boeing-built EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft.
seapowermagazine