Last Air Force flight on Navy Prowler takes off from Whidbey Island

Published 12:01 am Monday, July 28, 2014

NAS WHIDBEY ISLAND — The last Air Force flight in a EA-76B Prowler was this month.

As Air Force Maj. Shalin Turner’s performed his final flight in the Prowler on July 10, he became the last U.S. Air Force flyer to fly in one, the Navy said.

Turner is assigned to Electronic Attack Squadron 142 (VAQ-142), under the umbrella of the U.S. Air Force’s 390th Electronic Combat Squadron.

Also on the flight were Lt. Cmdr. John Esposito, Lt. Cmdr. Matthew Mulcahey and Lt. Cmdr. Ben Carter.

VAQ-142 is a carrier-based squadron assigned to the USS Nimitz.

The squadron will begin to move to using the EA-18G Growler in October, the Navy said.

Air Force aircrew started to integrate into Prowler squadrons at NAS Whidbey Island after the retirement of the EF-111 Raven and the F-4G Wild Weasel in 1995.

At that time, four Prowler squadrons were re-rolled into the expeditionary role because of budget decisions, and the Joint Airborne Electronic Attack program was born.