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Greyhawks Descend On Naval Air Station Jacksonville

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS100812-17
8/12/2010

By Clark Pierce, Jax Air News

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (NNS) -- A Greyhawks detachment from Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron(VAW )120 will conclude a 12-day shore-based training evolution at Naval Air Station Jacksonville and Outlying Field Whitehouse Aug. 13.

The training will be followed by two weeks of shipboard training on an underway aircraft carrier.

Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 120 is the Navy's fleet replacement squadron (FRS) for carrier airborne early warning squadrons flying the E-2C Hawkeye and fleet logistics support squadrons flying the C-2A Greyhound aircraft.

Its mission is to train pilots, naval flight officers, aircrew and maintainers. Upon successful completion of their syllabi, they leave VAW-120 for assignment to one of the Navy's operational E-2 or C-2 squadrons based at Naval Station Norfolk, Va. or Naval Base Ventura County at Point Mugu, Calif.

E-2C Hawkeye instructor pilot Lt. Rocky Argobright is one of six landing signal officers (LSO) assigned to VAW-120.

"We detach to [Naval Air Station] Jacksonville four or five times a year so our student pilots can get their field carrier landing practice (FCLP), which represents the end of their FRS training syllabi," Argobright said. "Pilot 'ball flying' using the Optical Landing System at Whitehouse is our primary mission for this detachment."

"Everything we do as LSOs serves one purpose – the prevention of mishaps," said Argobright. "That's why grading each landing is vital. Whether it's a FCLP at Whitehouse or a carrier landing, each event is analyzed, graded and debriefed to each pilot by his or her LSO."

Argobright said VAW-120 usually brings four E-2C Hawkeyes and two C-2A Greyhounds for each two-week detachment at NAS Jacksonville. They average 180 to 200 passes at OLF Whitehouse.

"We look forward to our detachments to NAS JAX because of the good air space that's available," said Argobright. "OLF Whitehouse is perfect for our needs."

"We take newly winged aviators and teach them to fly these unique carrier-based aircraft," said Cmdr. Todd Watkins, VAW-120 commanding officer (CO). "Their biggest challenge is learning to land an aircraft on the ship. And for many, it will also be the first time they've landed on a carrier at night.

"I was a CAG landing signal officer and did a tour as OIC of the LSO School," said Watkins. "I was also an instructor at VAW-120 when I was a lieutenant, so it's interesting to be back as CO and see the quality of our young aviators, aircrew and maintainers.

"Over today's modern battlefield, an increasing percentage of missions take place at night. Understandably, night landings at OLF Whitehouse are an integral part of our training program," Watkins said.

According to the Naval Air Systems Command fact sheet, the E-2C Hawkeye provides all-weather airborne early warning, airborne battle management and command and control functions for the carrier strike group and joint force commander. Additional missions include surface surveillance coordination, air interdiction, offensive and defensive counter air control, close air support coordination, time critical strike coordination, search and rescue airborne coordination and communications relay.

The C-2A Greyhound provides critical logistics support to carrier strike groups.

Its primary mission is the transport of high-priority cargo, mail and passengers between carriers and shore bases. Priority cargo such as jet engines can be transported from shore to ship in a matter of hours. A cargo cage system or transport stand provides restraint for loads during launches and landings.