VQ-6 — Mediated Wiki

{{short description|U.S. Navy's Atlantic Fleet}} {{Use American English|date=February 2024}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2024}} {{Infobox military unit | unit_name = VQ-6 Black Ravens | image = File:Fleet_Air_Reconnaissance_Squadron_6_(US_Navy)_insignia_c1997.png | dates = 5 August 1991 – 30 September 1999 | country = United States | branch = United States Navy | battles = Operation Southern Watch Operation Deny Flight Operation Desert Fox }}

'''Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron 6 (VQ-6)''' was a former squadron of the U.S. Navy's Atlantic Fleet.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=VQ-6 Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron SIX|url=https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/navy/vq-6.htm|access-date=2020-10-05|website=www.globalsecurity.org}}</ref> During its short-lived career, it was the second of two squadrons to operate the ES-3A Shadow, an ELINT version of the Lockheed S-3 Viking.

== History ==

=== Early years === left|thumb|248x248px|an ES-3A Shadow from VQ-6 Det.A being launched from USS Saratoga CV-60 in 1994 during VQ-6's first cruise. VQ-6 was founded on 5 August 1991, at NAS Cecil Field in Jacksonville, Florida.<ref name=":0" /> This was after the only carrier capable ELINT aircraft at the time, the EA-3B Skywarrior, was retired from service by VQ-2.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Walton|first=Bill|date=13 October 2017|title=Lockheed's ES-3A Shadow Knew What Evil Lurked Over The Horizon|url=https://www.avgeekery.com/lockheeds-es-3a-shadow-knew-what-evil-lurked-over-the-horizon/|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=Avgreeky.com}}</ref> After VQ-5 received the ES-3A in May 1992, VQ-6 became the second to receive the aircraft on 19 August 1992. A year later between 13 April 1993, and 18 May 1993, the squadron participated in workup trials on the USS ''America'' CV-66.<ref>{{Cite book|last=|first=|url=http://p-3publications.com/PDF/S-3Viking-a20yearhistory.pdf|title=S-3 Viking Twentieth Anniversary Review|publisher=David Reade|year=1993|isbn=|pages=}}</ref>

VQ-6 Detachment A made their first deployment on the USS ''Saratoga'' CV-60 between 12 January and 24 June 1994, as part of Carrier Air Wing 17 (CVW-17).<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=VQ-6|url=http://www.gonavy.jp/navy/sqn/VQ06.html|access-date=2020-10-05|website=www.gonavy.jp}}</ref> This would be the only deployment they would make on the carrier. During their thirteen deployments, they participated in Operation Southern Watch as well as NATO operations in Bosnia from the USS ''Theodore Roosevelt'' CVN-71 and the ''America''.<ref name=":0" /> Other Carriers that VQ-6 deployed onboard included USS Washington CVN-73 (including its maiden cruise in 1994) as part of CVW-7 and CVW-1,<ref>{{Cite web|title=CVN-73(1992-2008)|url=http://gonavy.jp/CV-CVN73-1f.html|access-date=2020-10-05|website=gonavy.jp}}</ref> USS ''Dwight D. Eisenhower'' CVN-69 as part of CVW-3, USS ''John F. Kennedy'' CV-67 with CVW-8 and the USS ''John C. Stennis'' CVN-74 during a world cruise with CVW-7 in 1998. During workups for that cruise in October 1997, the squadron along with the Stennis was featured in an episode of the Discovery Channel documentary series ''Extreme Machines''.<ref>''Extreme Machines - Carriers - Discovery Channel (1998)''</ref><ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.history.navy.mil/content/dam/nhhc/research/archives/command-operation-reports/ship-command-operation-reports/j/john-c-stennis-cvn-74-i/1997.pdf |title=USS John C. Stennis CVN-74 - 1997 Command Operations Report |publisher=United States Navy |year=1998}}</ref>

=== Final Years === [[File:ES-3A Shadow VQ-6 in flight off Florida.jpg|alt=An Lockheed ES-3A Shadow (BuNo 159401) VQ-6 in flight off the Florida coast. This aircraft was retired to the AMARC in Arizona as 2S0036 on 24 February 1999 and scrapped on 8 January 2003.|left|thumb|238x238px|An Lockheed ES-3A ''Shadow'' (BuNo 159401) VQ-6 in flight off the Florida coast. This aircraft was retired to the AMARC in Arizona as 2S0036 on 24 February 1999 and scrapped on 8 January 2003.]]

During their last deployment, the squadron made their last deployment as Detachment A on the USS ''Enterprise'' CVN-65 as part of CVW-3, taking part in the strikes conducted in Operation Desert Fox.<ref name=":0" />

On 10 August 1999, the last ES-3A were sent to AMARC at Davis-Monthan AFB in Arizona. After this, on the 26th, a ceremony was held<ref name=":0" /> before the squadron was finally decommissioned on 30 September 1999.<ref name=":1" />

== See also ==

* VQ-5 Sea Shadows * ES-3A Sea Shadow

== References == {{reflist}}

Category:United States Navy squadrons Category:Fleet air reconnaissance squadrons of the United States Navy Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1999