VP to VQ?

[JFman00]

So classed up as a VP NFO yesterday and now have the chance to swap for VQ. From what I've heard and read, I would much prefer the VQ mission. Given the current precarious situation of the platform, I'm focused on two questions:

1) What really is happening with the EP-3 community?
2) What might happen to EP-3 folks as it's phased out?
3) How much VQ-like capability will the P-8 have?

I do plan on talking with as many people here at 30 as possible, but at this point I'll take every rumor and piece of information I can get.

 

[HAL Pilot]

Two cents from someone retired for 13 years....

The EP-3 is a dying platform. There does not seem to be a replacement in the works. If you are even thinking about making the Navy a career, stay with VP. It is much easier to succeed as a member of one community than if you have to switch in mid-career.

 

[MasterBates]

I'll agree with HAL.. With S-3 retreads, it ended up being a lot of luck/timing beyond the norm as to how they fared when the Viking went away.

I imagine it's going to be similar for the VQ guys.

And by luck/timing the S-3 retreads I know are about 50-50 on making LCDR/DH depending on how senior they were when they transitioned.

 

[scoolbubba]

2 squadrons going to 1 in the near future. You do the math.

 

[phrogdriver]

Slight threadjack. I get the reduction in units, but the mission isn't going away. Where is the SIGINT requirement going?

 

[Flash]

Slight threadjack. I get the reduction in units, but the mission isn't going away. Where is the SIGINT requirement going?

I believe the current plan is to put some gear on the Navy version of the RQ-4 Global Hawk. And don't forget the USAF and their RC-135 Rivet Joints!

 

[JFman00]

Are there any circumstances where you guys would feel positively about going VQ?

 

[Flash]

Are there any circumstances where you guys would feel positively about going VQ?

I really enjoyed my time in VQ, the mission was interesting and the way we deployed as individual crews gave JOs a lot of independence when deployed. The mission is and will continue to be a very critical one supporting both the guys on the ground in the fight as well as nationally tasked missions. I posted a lengthy explanation of VQ and the lifestyle in the squadron here a while ago but can't find it.

All this is caveated by the fact that you will almost certainly do just one tour in VQ and your DH tour will likely be in VP, if they take you.

 

[Aquonox]

Flash is correct. The plan is to have VQ missions taken over by BAMS (aka Global Hawk) and the Firescout. However, it looks like that change will not happen for at least a decade.

http://defensetech.org/2011/08/16/navy-replacing-ep-3-aries-with-drones-by-2020/

 

[Fog]

Gee, Dude. Go Growlers if you can. That's an electronic warfare mission in a new a/c that will likely grow in the future. Wish I were 40 years younger (my original degination was NFO-E). The only carrier-based jamming platform in 1967 was the EA-1F (AD-4Q, aka the "Queer Spad")

 

[ltedge46]

Deployments for the VQ guys seem to be changing also, getting word the VQ guys will start deploying for 6 months at a time.

 

[NavyNFO]

Go VQ if you like the mission and plan to get out or transition before DH. The single VQ squadron will give you very little chance of making DH and essentially a zero chance of making command. On the other hand, 12 VP squadrons give you much better career opportunities. There is no replacement for the EP-3 and there will not be one based on the pending drawdown. IMHO, VQ sold their souls by spending so much time overland in USAF's domain. Big navy has done with little VQ support for quite awhile which made the VQ-1/2 merger such an easy sell. Fast forward 12 years and the MPRA only community will be VP. Where will you be in 12 years?

BTW, there are other ways to itch your "mission scratch" as a VP guy. You can learn about those after your JO tour.

 

[scoober78]

Flash is correct. The plan is to have VQ missions taken over by BAMS (aka Global Hawk) and the Firescout. However, it looks like that change will not happen for at least a decade.

http://defensetech.org/2011/08/16/navy-replacing-ep-3-aries-with-drones-by-2020/

In addition to this there is planning to offload some of the capes to "modules" on the P-8. The idea is that through a "family of sensors" the capability will be retained even as the airframe disappears. Riiiiiight. We'll see.

Deployments for the VQ guys seem to be changing also, getting word the VQ guys will start deploying for 6 months at a time.​

Obviously, I can't give you an exact date in this forum due to OPSEC concerns...but suffice it to say very soon. The crews who will begin executing this are already completing workups.