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VAW-121
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 Advanced Hawkeye. Established in 1967, the squadron is based at NAS Norfolk. It is currently assigned to Carrier Air Wing 17 and deploys aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz
Along with VAW-122, VAW-123 and VAW-120, VAW-121 was created out of the "super squadron" VAW-12 on 1 April 1967. Until then, VAW-12 had deployed 4-plane detachments to accompany carrier air wings.
Unlike its siblings, VAW-121 flew the E-1B Tracer, until the mid-1970s. This was due to the fact there were still carriers in the fleet that were not capable of handling for the larger E-2 Hawkeye, principally USS Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Essex-class carriers.
In July 1975, VAW-121 transitioned to the newer Grumman E-2C Hawkeye.
In 1978 VAW-121 made its first deployment as part of Carrier Air Wing Seven (CVW-7) on the newly commissioned USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. During this deployment, VAW-121 changed its squadron call sign from “Griffin” to “Bluetail” and adopted its current tail design.
In 1980 VAW-121 deployed for 347 days at sea with Dwight D. Eisenhower/CVW-7 setting a modern-day record that would not be broken until the deployment of USS Theodore Roosevelt during Operation Enduring Freedom.
In 1981 the squadron deployed for three months to NAS Keflavik, Iceland, in support of the Icelandic Defense Force. Upon their return, VAW-121 deployed to the North Atlantic for a large NATO exercise in which VAW-121 kept squadron aircraft continuously airborne for 23 days.
The squadron returned to the Mediterranean Sea in January 1982 and was awarded its third consecutive Battle "E" and AEW Excellence Awards, both firsts for a VAW squadron. During this deployment, the squadron was involved in overseeing the evacuation of Americans from Beirut. Returning from the three-month winter deployment to Iceland, the squadron found themselves again in the North Atlantic conducting three CVBG operations with USS Forrestal and HMS Hermes, the later deploying with the new Sea Harrier.
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VAW-121
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 Advanced Hawkeye. Established in 1967, the squadron is based at NAS Norfolk. It is currently assigned to Carrier Air Wing 17 and deploys aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz
Along with VAW-122, VAW-123 and VAW-120, VAW-121 was created out of the "super squadron" VAW-12 on 1 April 1967. Until then, VAW-12 had deployed 4-plane detachments to accompany carrier air wings.
Unlike its siblings, VAW-121 flew the E-1B Tracer, until the mid-1970s. This was due to the fact there were still carriers in the fleet that were not capable of handling for the larger E-2 Hawkeye, principally USS Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Essex-class carriers.
In July 1975, VAW-121 transitioned to the newer Grumman E-2C Hawkeye.
In 1978 VAW-121 made its first deployment as part of Carrier Air Wing Seven (CVW-7) on the newly commissioned USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. During this deployment, VAW-121 changed its squadron call sign from “Griffin” to “Bluetail” and adopted its current tail design.
In 1980 VAW-121 deployed for 347 days at sea with Dwight D. Eisenhower/CVW-7 setting a modern-day record that would not be broken until the deployment of USS Theodore Roosevelt during Operation Enduring Freedom.
In 1981 the squadron deployed for three months to NAS Keflavik, Iceland, in support of the Icelandic Defense Force. Upon their return, VAW-121 deployed to the North Atlantic for a large NATO exercise in which VAW-121 kept squadron aircraft continuously airborne for 23 days.
The squadron returned to the Mediterranean Sea in January 1982 and was awarded its third consecutive Battle "E" and AEW Excellence Awards, both firsts for a VAW squadron. During this deployment, the squadron was involved in overseeing the evacuation of Americans from Beirut. Returning from the three-month winter deployment to Iceland, the squadron found themselves again in the North Atlantic conducting three CVBG operations with USS Forrestal and HMS Hermes, the later deploying with the new Sea Harrier.