End of the Prowler era - Marines disestablishing all four VMAQs

[Joe Copalman]

Just read this on Combat Aircraft's page over on facebook: http://m.jdnews.com/articles/marine-97661-force-corps.html

As part of a force restructuring plan, all four Marine electronic attack squadrons at Cherry Point are slated for deactivation between FY2013 and FY2015.  With this being the case, the need for EA-6B Weapons and Tactics Instructors will rapidly diminish and cease, meaning that the next few WTI cycles are going to be your last chances to catch Marine Prowlers on this side of the country, if they're not already shutting down the Prowler syllabus at MAWTS-1.

When I spoke with one of the H-46 pilots from HMMT-164 at Scottsdale earlier this month, he said that WTI 1-12 was the last WTI for the H-46, and he stated that they (-164) were scheduled to stand down in 2015, with HMMT-764 being the only remaining H-46 squadron after they retire.  So if they've shut down the H-46 schoolhouse in Yuma based on those projections, I'd be really surprised if 2-12 doesn't end up being the curtain call for Prowlers in AZ. 

Get 'em while you can, guys.

[phantomphan1974]

This is sad.  The Prowler seems to be a more capable aircraft than the Growler with have 3 radar operator as opposed to 1 that has a computer to tell you the treats.  The Prowler lets the 3 deal with the thearts individually.  Some where built as long or as recent as 1991 as least some Navy ones I saw from VAQ-134, leaving on the Carl Vinson.