• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Whidbey Island Holds Groundbreaking for Growler Support Center

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS071102-06
Release Date: 11/2/2007 4:03:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Tucker M. Yates, Fleet Public Affairs Center Detachment Northwest

OAK HARBOR, Wash. (NNS) -- Naval Air Station Whidbey Island (NASWI) held a groundbreaking ceremony for the Growler Support Center in preparation for the transition from the EA-6B Prowler to the EA-18G Growler, Oct. 31.

"Isn't it appropriate that we dedicate this facility on Halloween since the aircraft it's going to support are going to haunt our enemies for its lifetime," said Capt. Gerral K. David, commanding officer NASWI.

The ceremony was presided over by David, Capt. Thomas Tack, commander, Electronic Attack Wing, U.S. Pacific Fleet; Patty Cohen, mayor of Oak Harbor; various project leads from the Boeing Company and Interwest Construction Incorporated, the company contracted to build the support center. Building of the center is scheduled to start in November and be completed by May 2008 before the arrival of the first Growler in June of next year.

"We submitted the winning bid and now we're manning up, mobilizing equipment and subcontractors to move ahead and build the project," said Eric Hanson, Interwest Construction Inc. project manager. "We're going through structuring and scheduling the project right now, we anticipate starting in about three weeks and meeting the schedule without any problems."

The facility will accommodate 24 personnel most of which will be Boeing personnel, but there will be representatives from Raytheon, Northop-Grumman, and General Electric to be consultants to the Navy maintenance crews for the new technology the Growler brings.

"The Growler Support Team will be the technical support that will assist the squadrons in becoming familiar with the airplanes' technical issues both on-site and while deployed," said Bob Lindauer, F-18 Field Service Integration League. "Our people will spend an entire six-month cruise out there with the Sailors. We will eat with them, sleep with them and do the whole-nine-yards to keep the product in a good state of repair so you've got a ready airplane for the mission."

Boeing team members, NASWI personnel, and the local community feel this is the beginning of a lasting relationship between them in the support of this aircraft.

"This is the first step to a growing partnership with the EA-18G being the first Boeing aircraft on this base," said Ryan Clancy, a civil engineer with Boeing customer facilities. "The people from the Navy and Boeing are going to interface here so it will be an important site for both Boeing and the Navy in the success of our partnership."

"It's awfully hard to curb the excitement, enthusiasm, and hometown pride for the mission served here at Whidbey," said Cohen. "On behalf of the city thank you, and to Boeing, your plane is in the best-of-the-best of hands."