By: Mike Heilman and Ed Wells

An EA-6B landing aboard the USS Eisenhower. VAQ-140 will be transitioning to the EA-18G at the end of the squadrons deployment in the Fall of 2012. (Mike Heilman) In the Spring of 2012 the Patriots of VAQ-140 will deploy on the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower with the EA-6B Prowler for the final time. The squadron has started initial work-ups for the 2012 deployment.   When VAQ-140 returns from the deployment they will transition to the new EA-18G Growler but the squadron is not ready to let the aging Prowler go just yet.

The EA-6B Prowler entered the fleet in 1971. The Electronic Countermeasures Squadron VAQ-140 has been flying the EA-6B since 1985.  The squadron is stationed at NAS Whidbey Island, Washington.