Golden Swordsmen Initiates Final P-3C Orion Deployment

KANEOHE BAY, HI, UNITED STATES

09.20.2016

Story by Petty Officer 2nd Class Joshua Walters 

Patrol Squadron 47

MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII (NNS) -- The Golden Swordsmen of Patrol Squadron FOUR SEVEN (VP-47) recently departed Kaneohe from Marine Corps Base Hawaii to commence its final deployment as a P-3C Orion squadron on September 20.
Aircraft and personnel are currently deployed to the U.S. 7th Fleet Area of Responsibility (AOR) at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan, and to the U.S. 4th Fleet AOR at Comalapa, El Salvador.
Upon return from a scheduled six month deployment, VP-47 will begin a new chapter in Naval Aviation history. The squadron will re-establish at Naval Air Station (NAS) Whidbey Island, WA and begin its transition to the Navy’s newest Maritime Patrol aircraft, the P-8A Poseidon.
As the Navy’s premiere maritime patrol squadron, VP-47’s combat mission is to conduct Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW), when called upon to conduct Anti-Surface Warfare (ASuW), and always provide Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) to strategic and operational Commanders. Their dual-site deployment to Central America and the Western Pacific comes at a time of increased political tensions between U.S. Allies in the Western Pacific and China due to China’s island-building campaign and potential effects on the regional balance of power. It is VP-47’s first deployment to the 7th Fleet AOR in several years.
“After a challenging 2016 home-cycle of training, exercises, and operational tasking on the heels of a seven month deployment to Sigonella, Sicily, in 2015, the squadron has been singularly focused on preparing for this deployment,” said Cmdr. Ryan Cech, commanding officer of VP-47. “It is a privilege to lead such highly trained, extremely capable, and well-equipped warfighters to the front-lines of two very different and dynamic AORs.”
Beginning last April and throughout the next several months, VP-47 families will continue to relocate to NAS Whidbey Island for the squadron’s upcoming transition to the P-8A Poseidon. The Golden Swordsmen began flying the Orion 50 years ago, and the transition to the Poseidon is the next step to ensure they remain the on the leading edge of warfighting technology.
“This is going to be an exciting new change of pace for the whole squadron after deploying to Sigonella, Sicily, multiple times in a row,” said Naval Aircrewman (Operator) 1st Class Michael J. Hauselmann. “We have the opportunity to see a new part of the world and experience a completely different type of culture while immersing ourselves in the Japanese way of life. Japan will also be a rewarding deployment for the squadron as whole.”
VP-47 is the second of three Hawaii-based squadrons to make the move to Whidbey Island and transition to the P-8A, and they will continue their standard of excellence in the new aircraft.
For more news from Commander, Naval Air Forces, visit http://www.navy.mil/local/airpac/.

• Date Taken: 09.20.2016
• Date Posted: 09.26.2016 18:47
• Story ID: 210660
• Location: KANEOHE BAY, HI, US