Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron 5 (VQ-5) was a former squadron of the U.S. Navy that was established on 15 August 1991.[1] During its short-lived career, it was one of two squadrons assigned in the U.S. Navy to operate the ES-3A Shadow, which was a specialised version of the S-3 Viking used for over-horizon tracking and electronic intelligence.[2]
Early years
In 1991, with the retirement of the EA-3B Skywarrior after 40 years of flying the US Navy,[2] the Navy prepared for the delivery of their new ES-3As. Before this, VQ-5 was established on 15 August of that year at NAS Agana, Guam, receiving their first 2 S-3A Vikings for pilot and crew training on 10 November 1991. On 8 May 1992, the first ES-3A was delivered to VQ-5,[1] with ES-3A's VQ-5 Det. A, on board the USSIndependence,[3] becoming the first ES-3A unit to deploy on a carrier.[4]
Detachments to carrier air wings
Starting in 1994, VQ-5 operated in detachments were deployed to numerous carrier air wings. As part of a 7th Fleet directive that year,[1] it assigned a two-plane permanently attached detachment (VQ-5 Detachment 5) to Carrier Air Wing 5 based in Japan with the Independence.[4] Unlike CVW-5 which was based at NAF Atsugi, VQ-5 Det. 5 was based in NAF Misawa. During that same year, they participated in operations in the Western Pacific during the tensions in the Korean Peninsula.[5] VQ-5 also deployed to CVW-15 on board the Kitty Hawk during 1994 before their disestablishment in 1995.[6]
The C.A.G. bird of VQ-5 as part of CVW-14 over the Abraham Lincoln in 1998.
In 1998, VQ-5 made their last cruise ever as Detachment C deployed with the Carl Vinson and CVW-11 during Operation Desert Fox[1] before returning in May 1999.[10] VQ-5 never deployed again and remained back in North Island. In June 1999, a ceremony was held for the decommissioning of the squadron although they were officially inactivated on 31 July 1999.[1]
