Carrier Air Wing Seven returned to Naval Air Station Oceana and Norfolk Naval Station Chambers Field on Tuesday after a four-month deployment aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Airborne Early Warning Squadron 121 (VAW-121), the “Bluetails”, with four E-2C “Hawkeye” aircraft and Helicopter Support Squadron 5 (HS-5) “Nightdippers” with 5 H-60 “Sea Hawk” helicopters returned to Naval Station Norfolk Chambers Field.
And the “Rampagers” of Strike Fighter Squadron 83 (VFA-93) with 10 F/A-18C “Hornets”; VFA-103 “Jolly Rogers” with 12 F/A-18F “Super Hornets”; VFA-131, the “Wildcats” flying F/A-18C “Hornets”; and the Pukin’ Dogs of VFA-143 in their F/A-18E “Super Hornets," returned to Naval Air Station Oceana.
The 57 locally-based aircraft left Norfolk on February 22nd to participate in Operation Enduring Freedom and maritime security operations in the North Arabian Sea and Persian Gulf.
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According to the Navy, CVW-7 completed over 5,200 sorties, with 1,300 of those being designated as combat.
The group amassed nearly 13,000 flight hours and logged 5,200 carrier arrested landings.
The Navy says the group provided combat support for coalition ground forces and delivered various amounts of ordnance including bombs and 20mm ammunition.
