NAS Whidbey Island Begins Construction of NGJ Warehouse

Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Marc Cuenca | 200122-N-HC646-0054 OAK HARBOR, Wash. (Jan. 22, 2019) Capt. Eric P. Illston, commander, Electronic Attack Wing, U.S. Pacific Fleet (COMVAQWINGPAC), (middle-left), and Capt. Michael Orr, program manager, Airborne Electronic Attack Program Office (middle-right) stand with members of COMVAQWINGPAC, Naval Facilities Engineering Command Northwest, Naval Air Systems Command, and contractors of Tompco, Inc. during the ground-breaking ceremony of the construction of a Next Generation Jammer (NGJ) Warehouse on Ault Field. The NGJ Warehouse facility accommodates the future testing, maintenance, storage and shipping of the NGJ pods used by U.S Navy EA-18G Growlers which aid the fleet with critical electronic countermeasure support during military operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Marc Cuenca/Released)  

OAK HARBOR, WA, UNITED STATES

01.22.2020

Story by Petty Officer 2nd Class Marc Cuenca 

Navy Public Affairs Support Element, Det. Northwest

The Naval Air Station Whidbey Island-based Electronic Attack Wing (COMVAQWINGPAC) held a groundbreaking ceremony January 22, 2020, for the construction of a Next-Generation Jammer (NGJ) Warehouse on Ault Field.

The NGJ Warehouse facility accommodates the future testing, maintenance, storage and shipping of the NGJ pods used by U.S. Navy EA-18G Growlers, which aid the fleet
with critical electronic countermeasure support during military operations.

Capt. Eric P. Illston, commander, COMVAQWINGPAC, Capt. Christopher Bahner, deputy commander, COMVAQWINGPAC, and Capt. Michael Orr, program manager, Airborne Electronic Attack Program Office, kicked off the event.

Ensign Laurence Egalla, construction manager, assigned to Naval Facilities Engineering Command Northwest, said the project involved the partnership of COMVAQWINGPAC, NAVFAC Northwest, Naval Air Systems Command, and contractor Tompco, Inc.

“The NGJ system is an external pod system that consists of low, mid, and high jamming abilities that will ultimately replace the U.S. Navy’s ALQ-99 Tactical Jamming System on U.S. Navy EA-18G Growlers,” said Cindy Mattingly, senior communication and multimedia specialist of AVIAN information and multimedia services.

The project is estimated to be complete by January 2021.

• Date Taken: 01.22.2020
• Date Posted: 01.28.2020 17:01
• Story ID: 360253
• Location: OAK HARBOR, WA, US