Carrier Air Wing Five

Carrier Air Wing Five
Unit name	Carrier Air Wing Five
Caption	An USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) flight deck during a deployment with Carrier Air Wing Five
Dates	1950–present
Country	United States
Allegiance	United States Navy
Branch	United States Navy
Type	Carrier air wing
Role	Air operations from aircraft carriers
Size	~1,500 personnel
Garrison	Naval Air Facility Atsugi
Nickname	"Five"
Battles	Korean War; Vietnam War; Gulf War; Operation Enduring Freedom; Operation Iraqi Freedom
Decorations	Presidential Unit Citation; Navy Unit Commendation
Commander1	Rear Admiral (lower half) [varies]

Carrier Air Wing Five

Carrier Air Wing Five is a United States Navy aviation formation embarked aboard nuclear-powered and conventionally powered aircraft carriers. It provides fixed-wing and rotary-wing strike, reconnaissance, electronic warfare, and airborne early warning capabilities to support naval task forces and joint operations. The air wing operates in the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean, integrating with regional commands, allied naval forces, and carrier strike groups.

Overview and Mission

The air wing's primary mission is power projection through strike operations, air superiority, surveillance, and force protection for carrier strike groups. It conducts offensive air operations, defensive counter-air, close air support, airborne command and control, and anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare in coordination with United States Pacific Fleet, United States Indo-Pacific Command, and allied partners such as the Japan Self-Defense Forces, Royal Australian Navy, and Republic of Korea Navy. The wing supports contingency operations, freedom of navigation operations, maritime security, and humanitarian assistance/disaster relief in coordination with the United Nations and multinational coalitions.

Composition and Assigned Squadrons

The air wing is organized into multiple fixed-wing and rotary-wing squadrons, typically including carrier air wing elements such as strike fighter squadrons, an electronic attack squadron, an airborne early warning squadron, a carrier airborne early warning squadron, a helicopter sea combat squadron, and a carrier logistics support detachment. Squadrons assigned have included units drawn from Strike Fighter Squadron 115 (VFA-115), Strike Fighter Squadron 113 (VFA-113), Electronic Attack Squadron 141 (VAQ-141), Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 115 (VAW-115), and Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 12 (HSC-12). Aircrews and maintenance personnel rotate between carrier deployments, working with parent commands such as Naval Air Forces Atlantic and Naval Air Forces Pacific and shore-based wings including Commander, Naval Air Force, Pacific Fleet.

Operational History

Established in the early Cold War era, the air wing participated in major 20th- and 21st-century conflicts. Elements deployed during the Korean War, flew combat sorties over North Vietnam during the Vietnam War, and supported carrier operations during Operation Desert Storm in the Persian Gulf War. More recently, air wing squadrons flew missions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, conducted maritime patrols during tensions in the South China Sea and East China Sea, and took part in multinational exercises like RIMPAC, Foal Eagle, and Cobra Gold. The air wing has embarked on carriers including USS Midway (CV-41), USS Independence (CV-62), and USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76), integrating with carrier strike groups tasked by United States Seventh Fleet and executing bilateral operations with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force and Republic of Korea Air Force.

Aircraft and Equipment

The wing operates a mix of contemporary carrier-capable aircraft and support platforms. Typical airframes include multirole fighters such as the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, electronic attack aircraft like the Boeing EA-18G Growler, airborne early warning platforms such as the Northrop Grumman E-2 Hawkeye, carrier onboard delivery aircraft like the Grumman C-2 Greyhound or variants provided by Fleet Logistics Support Squadron, and rotary-wing types including the Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk and Sikorsky MH-60S Knighthawk. Sensors and systems in use encompass radar suites, targeting pods, electronic warfare suites, datalinks interoperable with Link 16, and precision-guided munitions interoperable with platforms from Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman.

Homeport, Deployments, and Bases

While U.S. carrier air wings typically homeport in the continental United States, this air wing maintains a persistent forward presence in East Asia with a shore-based headquarters at Naval Air Facility Atsugi in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. Deployments are commonly associated with forward-deployed carriers assigned to United States Seventh Fleet, with operational periods in the Western Pacific, Indian Ocean, and Persian Gulf. The wing participates in port visits and cross-deck operations with bases such as Yokosuka Naval Base, Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Camp Foster, and regional facilities in Guam and Diego Garcia.

Command Structure and Notable Commanders

The air wing reports to carrier strike group commanders and to naval aviation commands within United States Pacific Fleet. Commanding officers have included senior aviators with flag assignments and have worked closely with carrier commanding officers, numbered fleet commanders, and joint task force leadership. Notable commanders and air wing alumni have progressed to senior billets within Naval Air Systems Command, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, and joint commands; many have been decorated for leadership in combat operations and staff roles. The air wing's command relationships extend to allied liaison officers from the Japan Self-Defense Forces and other partner navies to enable combined operations and interoperability.

Category:United States Navy air wings