[A6BSTARM]

Rumor Control going up and down the flight line here at NAS Whidbey has the following plans for the EF-18G squadron converision:
VAQ-129, the training squadron is supposed to begin recieving the EF-18G by late 2007 up to mid 2008. For a while they will be dual operators. In that VAQ-129 will be doing EA-6B and EF-18G transition training for air crews.
VAQ-132 will begin transition upon return from a deployment and should stand up as a EF-18G squadron by summer of 2008 or early 2009. Upon which they will tranistion MCAS Iwakuni and replace VAQ-136 as the forward deployed EW squadron of CVW-5.
VAQ-136 will come home and transition to EF-18G's. Upon which they will remain at NAS Whidbey.
After that it is up in the air depending on scheduling and squadron availability. The powers to be are trying to adapt what they did with the F-14 to F-18E/F conversion as the same plan. IE as a ship comes home for an overhaul, the squadron is removed from the airwing and replaced with one that has converted from there the removed squadron would begin transition to an EF-18G outfit and be moved to a new air wing.
The is currently no plans for any USMC EA-6B outfits to transition nor is there a plan currently for VAQ-209 (the sole reserve EA-6B squadron) to make the converision.

Oh and according to my connections over at Commander Naval Air Forces, there is conflicting debates about whether CVW-17 will be stood down following the decom of the USS John F. Kennedy later this year. One plan is to just decom it and just pimp the rest of the air wing out as independent duty squadrons, the other plan is that the air wing would be held on to until the USS George W. Bush will be comissioned and then move CVW-17 onboard her. CVW-17 instead might become something similar to a Marine Air Group. In that they would deploy to bases ashore in places and operate forward deployed and using all thier resources in such places as Bagram or Al Asad.

[JClark]

Charles, did you ask Lex? I suspect being a Hornette driver and an O-6, that he might have more intel.

Byron

[A6BSTARM]

More like Death by Power point about reducing the maintenance manning levels in the VAQ outfits earlier this week with our Wing Commodore (an 0-6 himself) and the wing maintenance Masterchief. The question was brought up by an slightly crusty E-6 who was getting ready to retire aboout what is going on with transition. That then lead to some sour faces and the Captain answering what he knew as of a brief early in this month
They are talking about cutting 2-3 personnel in every shop but maybe adding an additional plane to each squadron.

[JClark]

Wait till the C-dore tells you about the "you'll be at sea more, because we're cutting out shore duty, but it will be better for your family" bullsh!t. Doug heard a couple of weeks ago on CVN-69 from an admiral. the 'Mander told me that this is really going to screw the Navy worse than the LCS (yes, waving troll bait under Dales nose, I got the goods on that little fiasco, just ask me and Charles here).

Doug is not so sure he's going to go for E-7, since it will mean four more years in the Navy, instead of two to retire.

Byron

[VCDH]

Not really a surprise that the first squadron is going to go to the Far East.

What's the supposed difference between maintaince requirements on the E/F/G and earlier planes? I'm assuming that they have less maintaince requirements when compared to the EA-6. I'd be guessing but I suppose that is their rational behind the maintaince draw down. Are the overall number of ALQ-99 equipped airframes going to be lower than the current?

Would make sense to keep the CVW up until the new Bush commissions but that probably won't happen for that very reason.

Any further word on the weapons outfit of the LCS? I'm reserving judgement on it until that's finalized. Besides, we had a fire on the boat last week and my elbow hurts from it.

Later
D