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'Skinny Dragons' Return to Hawaii

Story Number: NNS030219-08
Release Date: 2/19/2003 12:32:00 PM

By Lt. Mark Brummett, Partrol Squadon 4 Public Affairs

KANEOHE, Hawaii (NNS) -- More than 30 "Skinny Dragons" from Patrol Squadron (VP) 4 returned home to Hawaii Sunday.

Since Jan. 9, VP-4 has been deployed to Naval Air Station North Island, Calif., along with aircrews and maintenance personnel from Patrol Squadron (VP) 40, reserve Patrol Squadron (VP) 65, and Canadian squadrons MP405 and MP407.

For more than three weeks, they flew in support of the USS Nimitz (CVN 68) Battle Group in the waters off San Diego as part of two exercises, Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX 3-02) and Joint Task Force Exercise (JTFEX 3-02).

These two exercises are normally held four weeks apart, but current events required that they be held successively. Operations Specialist 1st Class Geoffrey Decker, the detachment assistant officer in charge (AOIC), commented on the increased pace. "These are definitely high-tempo operations. The USS Nimitz Battle Group is working on a compressed time schedule to be prepared for any contingency."

Flying the P-3C Orion, crews were tasked with a variety of missions. Though the primary mission of the P-3 during the two exercises was anti-submarine warfare, they also conducted anti-surface warfare, maritime interdiction operations (MIO) and sea surface control missions. During a MIO event, an aircraft improvement program version of the P-3C transmitted digital images directly to the battle group via line-of-sight communication link. This groundbreaking transfer demonstrated that future missions wouldn't need to rely on satellites or ground stations to transfer imagery to the battle group.

Though most missions were in direct support of the battle group, some missions were flown as the opposing force. Aviation Warfare Systems Operator 2nd Class Petty Officer David Gorby from VP-4 stated, "Playing the bad guy is a great experience, and you really get to know the capabilities of the fleet."

He should know, since his P-3C was intercepted by an F/A-18 Hornet while patrolling the skies.

Not only were the crews from both squadrons working together in the air, but maintenance and other support personnel were working hand-in-hand as well. Chief Aviation Electronic's Mate (AW) Nolen Kell of VP-40 said, "This has been the best detachment personality-wise that I've seen. We might as well have come from the same squadron."

Lt. Cmdr. Jack Thomas, detachment officer in charge, added, "There is no doubt that the maintenance personnel from both VP-4 and VP-40 were the reason we had success during this detachment."

The detachment received recognition from several people, including Commander, 3rd Fleet; Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Forces Pacific; and Commander, 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit.

For now, the North Island Detachment has been disestablished, and the battle group has returned to port. As the Nimitz Battle Group prepares for deployment, VP-4 will continue preparations to support her in theater later this year.