Carrier Air Wing - 2003 Iraq War

2003 Iraq War

By 2003, A-6s had been retired with their tanking duties being assumed by S-3s, ES-3s had been retired, and older F-14s were being phased out with the FA-18 E/F Super Hornet which was also replacing 1 squadron of F/A-18C Hornets.

• 1 fighter squadron(s) (VF) of 10 F-14A/B/D or 1 strike fighter squadron (VFA) of 12 F/A-18E/F Super Hornet
• 2-3 strike fighter squadrons (VFA) of 12 F/A-18Cs or 1 Super Hornet Squadron
• 1 early warning squadron (VAW) of 4 E-2Cs
• 1 tactical electronic warfare squadron (VAQ) of 4-5 EA-6Bs
• 1 sea control squadron (VS) of 8 S-3Bs (primary aerial tankers)
• 1 helicopter anti-submarine squadron (HS) of 6 SH-60F and 2 HH-60H
• 1 detachment of C-2A Greyhound aircraft for Carrier Onboard Delivery COD

The deactivation of Carrier Air Wing 14 was planned for 2011-12. However, a March 20, 2012 memo from the Chief of Naval Operations, Adm. Jon Greenert cancelled that decision. Yet a Navy Times of March 28, 2012, noted that "Greenert’s decision, however, expires in a year unless a new plan takes its place. ... The Navy had planned to deactivate a carrier air wing and its squadrons in its fiscal 2012 budget to help meet required cuts in defense spending in last year’s Budget Control Act, cutting the number of carrier air wings from 10 to nine. But Deputy Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter later directed the Navy to make funds and manpower available for 10 wings." .."Navy spokeswoman Lt. Katie Cerezo said the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act directs the Navy to maintain 10 air wings, and the Navy reversed plans to deactivate CVW-14 in order to comply with the law."