VAW-122

VAW-122 (aka 'STEELJAWS', colloquially the Fightin'-Bitin' Steejaws) was a U.S. Atlantic Coast VAW squadron (Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron) that was stood up on 1 April 1967 and dis-established March 30, 1996. When ashore, VAW-122 was stationed aboard NAS Norfolk, VA. During its 30 years of existence, the high-tempo Steeljaws were deployed around the world and saw action from Vietnam to Desert Storm, conducting operations from the Arctic to the tropics. The Steeljaws conducted Airborne Early Warning, Air Defense, Air Intercept Control, ISR, NCTR activity, Command, Control, Communications and Intelligence (C4I), Strike Control, Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR), Drug Interdiction, Forward Air Control (FAC) handoff, Air Traffic Control, Netcentric Warfare, Data Link, and other missions.

History
Originally equipped with the E-2A Hawkeye, VAW-122 was first on the scene, establishing communications and directing fighter coverage for the USS Liberty in the Mediterranean in June 1967 after the intelligence-gathering ship was attacked by Israeli aircraft and torpedo boats. During a 1968 deployment on board the USS America off Vietnam, VAW-122 crews assisted a VF-33 F-4 Phantom crew in downing a North Vietnamese MiG-21 fighter as well as controlling interdiction strikes against North Vietnam.

After a 1970 deployment to the Mediterranean during the Jordanian crisis with CVW-7 on board the USS Independence, VAW-122 upgraded to the somewhat more capable E-2B. The squadron's next two deployments to the Mediterranean returned its crews to international crises—the 1973 Yom Kippur War and the 1974 Cyprus Crisis.

In April 1975, VAW-122 upgraded to the definitive E-2C Hawkeye. In 1978, the squadron rejoined after a Pacific deployment embarked in USS Kitty Hawk CVW-6 and over the next 13 years deployed to the Arabian Sea, Mediterranean, and North Atlantic on board the Independence and the USS Forrestal. During the 1983 deployment, VAW-122 supported combat operations in Grenada and Lebanon, and, on its last combat carrier deployment in 1991, supported Operation Provide Comfort over Iraq during and subsequent to Operation Desert Storm. Throughout its operational lifetime, VAW-122 participated in numerous cold-war, North Atlantic, Mediterranean, African, Indian Ocean, Eastern European, and Middle Eastern operations, supported several several NASA Space Shuttle launches, and devised a variety of original operational tactics and procedures (such as performing ABCCC missions in lieu of other airborne assets' doing so).

VAW-122 made its first major drug-interdiction deployment as a squadron to the Caribbean/Central America in 1990 (previously it had been smaller detachments of shorter duration beginning in 1983 with Operation Thunderbolt), and in 1992 became permanently assigned to this role. By 1996, the unit had completed eight deployments in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific areas, conducting some missions deep over South or Central America, and far into the Pacific Ocean -- and was credited with the seizure of more than 16 metric tons of illegal drugs.

VAW-122 was disestablished at NAS Norfolk on 31 March 1996. Its drug-interdiction mission and aircraft were assumed by a new reserve squadron at that time, VAW-77, stationed at NAS Atlanta, GA.

Deployments
Notes:
 * Commissioned while deployed
 * Includes Operation Urgent Fury (Grenada)
 * Includes Operation Provide Comfort (Iraq)