The last EP-3E Aries II of VQ-1 “World Watchers” has completed its final operational mission and returned home.

On October 29, 2024, after nearly sixty years of service, the EP-3E Aries II ISR (Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance) aircraft flew its final flight in the US 5th Fleet AOR (Area of ​​Responsibility) as a detachment from ” The world”. Observers’ of Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron (VQ) 1.

The U.S. 5th Fleet’s operational area spans approximately 2.5 million square miles of water, covering the Arabian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman, the Red Sea, parts of the Indian Ocean, and key choke points in the Strait of Hormuz, the Suez Canal, and the Straits of Bab al-Mandeb.

As we reported earlier, VQ-1 crews were originally scheduled to return to their home base at Naval Air Station (NAS) Whidbey Island, Washington, in time to celebrate the end of operations by September 30, 2024, but the ceremony had to be delayed for operational needs, first to 8 October 2024 (with a deactivation scheduled for 31 March 2025), and then to an undefined date.

Lt. Cmdr. Justin “Gump” Roberts, VQ-1 Detachment Officer in Charge, said in a public statement: “It’s incredible to consider everyone who has contributed to the EP-3 legacy over the past 55 years. The success of this platform is due entirely to our dedicated maintenance team and the exceptional ISR work of our crew. To be a part of this legacy is an honor.”

Lt. Bradford “Chad” Holcombe, the aircraft’s commander, expressed his pride in the VQ-1’s history and his gratitude for being a part of it. “From my first day with VQ-1, it was clear how much pride each member has in the platform, the mission and the effort required to execute it anytime, anywhere. Flying the final mission is a privilege,” he said.

Capt. Dennis “Rudy” Jensen, Commodore of Task Force 57, has been around the P-3 since 1979:

“My father was a P-3 pilot during the Cold War, and I’ve flown variants of the same aircraft since 2002. Few other aircraft are as ‘time-tested and mother-approved’ as the P-3,” Jensen said. . “Its longevity and ability to operate from remote locations in austere environments for over half a century is a testament to those who designed, built, maintained and operated it. Like the ever-changing platforms aboard an aircraft carrier, the mission systems inside the EP-3E have evolved over time. The ability to evolve has allowed the EP-3E to remain viable and effective to this day.”

After a 30-day extension of its service schedule and the successful completion of the type’s last deployment, VQ-1’s EP-3E BuNo 159893 returned to NASWI on 6 November 2024. It was preceded by 161410, which returned from Solder. Bay on November 1, 2024.

Aircraft “893” will be retired and delivered to the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG) at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona, where it will be stored in the so-called “Boneyard.” As reported, VQ-1 has already retired some of its oldest aircraft, including aircraft BuNo 156511, the EP-3E involved in a collision with a Chinese Navy J-8 fighter off China on 1 April 2001, in what became known as the “Hainan Incident”.

EP-3E sunset

The EP-3E Aries II is a signals intelligence platform that has served for decades, gathering intelligence on foreign communications, electronic emissions and troop movements. The crew of 24 includes pilots, tactical evaluators and cryptologic technicians.

The type first appeared in the late 1960s and has been continuously improved over the years to keep up with advancing technology. The aircraft, the US Navy’s only land-based reconnaissance asset, has been upgraded from being simply a signals intelligence (SIGINT) aircraft to a Multi-Intelligence platform equipped with a host of high-gain receivers and antennas that allow it to intercept a wide spectrum. of electronic emissions deep into hostile territories. The crew processes and merges the information collected and distributes the information for use in various military applications such as threat detection, air defense suppression, battlefield awareness, and anti-submarine warfare.

As we’ve reported over the years, the EP-3E has worked near all the world’s major hotspots, including Libya, Syria and the Caribbean Seawhere the spy plane was often intercepted by Russian and Chinese fighter jets in tense aerial encounters. The guy gained particular notoriety after the already mentioned international incident on April 1, 2001, when he was forced to make an emergency landing on the island of Hainan, China, following a collision with a Chinese fighter jet. The crew and aircraft were detained for 11 days.

Replacement EP-3E

The EP-3E Aries II will be replaced by the Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton. The Triton is a high-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aerial system that supports a “wide range” of missions, including maritime patrol, signals intelligence and search and rescue. The MQ-4C Triton, which operates at a higher altitude and has greater endurance than the EP-3E, also incorporates simultaneous multi-intelligence sensor operations and can exchange data with sea, air, land and space assets of the US and allies for optimal strategic situational awareness.

The VUP (Special Projects Patrol Squadron) will take over these responsibilities with the new Triton, which has already been deployed to key bases around the world, including Guam, NAS Sigonella and the Middle East.