AN/ALQ-249 Next Generation Jammer completes historic first deployment
December 17, 2024
The seven EA-18G Growlers of the ‘Wizards’ of VAQ-133 left Naval Air Station North Island, San Diego, on 13 July 2024, with 18 aircrew and 153 Sailors, returning home to Naval Air Station Whidbey Island on 14 December 2024 after a five-month deployment to the Middle East and Eastern Pacific with the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group (ABECSG).
The ‘Wizards’ deployment represented a historic milestone, as the squadron became the first in the Navy to deploy with the AN/ALQ-249 Next Generation Jammer (NGJ), developing new tactics and tactically employing the new system and also achieving the first NGJ arrested landing.
The Abraham Lincoln strike group was ordered to the US Central Command (CENTCOM) area of responsibility to bolster US military force posture in the Middle East, deter regional escalation, degrade Iranian-backed Houthi capabilities, and defend US forces, while promoting regional security, stability and prosperity.
While operating in the Middle East, the Wizards played a key role in supporting CENTCOM objectives, participating in dual-carrier operations with the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), flying critical combat missions to ensure the safety of deployed US Forces, and aiding in strikes to degrade Iranian-backed Houthi weapons storage capabilities. This provided an opportunity to prove the NGJ in action, helping to demonstrate that it does, as claimed, demonstrate the future of Airborne Electronic Attack (AEA).
Commander Erik Dente, the commanding officer of VAQ-133 said that: “This deployment showcased the cutting-edge capabilities of the NGJ and reinforced the critical role of the Growler community in modern warfare,” said “More importantly, it demonstrated the skill, dedication, and perseverance of every VAQ-133 Sailor and the families, friends, and loved ones who supported them at home. I could not be more proud of the Sailors, aircrew, and support teams who made this deployment an overwhelming success.”
