| Carrier Air Wing 3 | |
|---|---|
 CVW-3 Insignia | |
| Active | 1 July 1938 - Present |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Navy |
| Type | Carrier Air Wing |
| Part of | Carrier Strike Group 2 |
| Garrison/HQ | NAS Oceana USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) |
| Nickname | "Battle Axe" |
| Tail Code | AC |
| Engagements | World War II Korean War Vietnam War Operation Desert Shield Operation Desert Storm Operation Desert Fox Operation Enduring Freedom Operation Iraqi Freedom Operation Inherent Resolve 2024 missile strikes in Yemen |
| Decorations | Presidential Unit Citation Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal (6) United Nations Service Medal Korean Service Medal (2) Navy Unit Commendation (2) China Service Medal Meritorious Unit Commendation Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Frederick C. Turner Joseph F. Kilkenny[1] |
Carrier Air Wing Three (CVW-3), known as the "Battle Axe", is aUnited States Navy aircraftcarrier air wing based atNaval Air Station Oceana,Virginia. The wing was created on 1 July 1938 and has seen service in World War II, the Korean War, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Vietnam War, Lebanon, against Libya, and the Global War on Terror.
"To conduct carrier air warfare operations and assist in the planning, control, coordination and integration of seven air wing squadrons in support of carrier air warfare including; Interception and destruction of enemy aircraft and missiles in all-weather conditions to establish and maintain local air superiority. All-weather offensive air-to-surface attacks, Detection, localization, and destruction of enemy ships and submarines to establish and maintain local sea control. Aerial photographic, sighting, and electronic intelligence for naval and joint operations. Airborne early warning service to fleet forces and shore warning nets. Airborne electronic countermeasures. In-flight refueling operations to extend the range and the endurance of air wing aircraft and Search and rescue operations."
CVW-3 consists of six squadrons:[2]
| Code | Insignia | Squadron | Nickname | Assigned Aircraft |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VFA-32 | _insignia_2015.png) | Strike Fighter Squadron 32 | Swordsmen | F/A-18F Super Hornet |
| VFA-34 |  | Strike Fighter Squadron 34 | Blue Blasters | F/A-18E |
| VAW-123 |  | Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 123 | Screwtops | E-2C Hawkeye |
| VAQ-130 |  | Electronic Attack Squadron 130 | Zappers | EA-18G Growler |
| VRC-40 | _insignia%2c_1991.png) | Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 40 Det. 4 | Rawhides | C-2A Greyhound |
| HSC-7 | _patch_2015.png) | Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 7 | Dusty Dogs | MH-60S Seahawk |
| HSM-74 |  | Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 74 | Swamp Foxes | MH-60R Seahawk |
Squadrons assigned to the first carrier to bear the name (USS Saratoga) in 1928 were informally called theSaratoga Air Group. On 1 July 1938 theSaratoga Air Group was formally established as a unit. With the rapid fleet buildup ofWorld War II, the Navy ceased naming its carrier air groups with the carrier's name and initially numbered them with the carrier's hull number, and on 25 September 1943Saratoga Air Group was redesignatedCarrier Air Group 3 (CVG-3). After the war, on 15 November 1946 the air group was redesignated in accordance with the Navy's new carrier air group designation scheme in which all remaining air groups were designated in accordance with the type of carrier to which they were assigned with those assigned toEssex-class aircraft carriers being designated "attack" carrier air groups and those assigned to the largerMidway-class aircraft carrier being designatedbattle carrier air groups andCVG-3 was redesignatedCVAG-3. On 1 September 1948 the Navy again changed the carrier air group designation scheme; all CVAGs and CVBGs were designated CVGs andCVAG-3 once again becameCVG-3. On 20 December 1963 all carrier air groups in existence were redesignatedCarrier Air Wings (CVW) andCarrier Air Group 3 (CVG-3) was redesignatedCarrier Air Wing 3 (CVW-3)[3]
The wing was deployed onSaratoga until the ship was torpedoed in January 1942. Part of the wing was then deployed aboardUSS Yorktown and helped cripple theJapanese aircraft carrier Sōryū during theBattle of Midway. The wing was also involved in the first carrier strikes againstTokyo, flying fromUSS Yorktown.[4]
In 1947, CVAG-3 was assigned toUSS Kearsarge and made two deployments to theNorth Atlantic and theMediterranean Sea in 1947 and 1948.
The air wing was assigned toUSS Leyte in 1949. In 1950,Leyte was recalled from the Mediterranean Sea and was deployed toKorea. The Wing flew in support of the Pusan Perimeter, the invasion on Wonsan and, and strikes on Hungnam Salient and Yalu River Bridges. The wing accumulated over 11,000 operational hours flying against theNorth Korean andChinese Communist Forces.[4] Following this deployment, CVG-3 made two more deployments to the Med aboardLeyte in 1951 and 1952-53, followed by a world cruise aboardUSS Tarawa in 1953-54. In 1955-56, the wing was again in the Med aboardUSS Ticonderoga, before being assigned to the newly commissionedUSS Saratoga in 1957. The wing stayed aboardSaratoga until she entered her Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) in 1981.
During refresher training in the Caribbean Sea in December 1962, CVW-3 was on station during theCuban Missile Crisis.[4] Carrier Air Group 3 was redesignated Carrier Air Wing 3 on 20 December 1963.[3]
At end of the 1960s the air wing took on Reserve Squadrons during theUSSPueblo incident. CVW-3 squadrons embarked with theRoyal Navy's892 Naval Air Squadron for two weeks, and flew in response to a number of events in theMediterranean including; hijackings, internal fighting in Jordan, and the death of Egyptian President Nasser.[4]
In the early 1970s CVW-3 began the task of testing the new CV Concept, to incorporating the missions of attack squadrons and anti-submarine submarine squadrons. After completing their missions successfully the CV Concept was validated and implemented. In 1972, CVW-3 was given 60 hours notice before deploying around South Africa en routeto Vietnam. Operations there saw CVW-3 provide strike and support sorties inSouth Vietnam,Alpha strikes, AAW missions, andreconnaissance missions overNorth Vietnam. The wings first kill came on 21 June when anF-4J Phantom II shot down aMIG-21. Dropping over 14,000 tons of ordnance, CVW-3 spent 175 days on the line engaged in combat operations against North Vietnam.[4]
CVW-3 was assigned toUSS John F. Kennedy, in 1981 and participated in air strikes against Lebanon in support ofUS Marines stationed there.
In January 1989 two CVW-3F-14 Tomcats shot down two hostile Libyan MIG-23 fighters over international waters in the Central Mediterranean. In August 1990, CVW-3 andJohn F. Kennedy departed on a no-notice Mediterranean/Red Sea deployment in support ofOperation Desert Shield, and air crews later flew combat sorties in association withOperation Desert Storm against Iraq.
In 1994–95, CVW-3 made a single deployment aboardUSS Dwight D. Eisenhower to the Mediterranean Sea. For the next deployment in 1996–97, the wing transferred toUSS Theodore Roosevelt. The wing concluded a successful 24th Mediterranean Sea/Persian Gulf deployment aboard theUSS Enterprise in 1998–99. During this time, the wing aircraft participated inOperation Desert Fox, a four-day strike campaign against Iraq in December 1998.[4]
In 2000, CVW-3, was assigned toUSS Harry S. Truman on her maiden deployment. The early months of 2001 saw the air wing operating in the Persian Gulf, conducting Response Options strikes, to include the largest strike over Iraq since Operation Desert Fox, in support ofOperation Southern Watch andmaritime interdiction operations. This was the longest period any carrier had spent in the Gulf since Operation Desert Storm. The Air Wing completed its 25th deployment and returned home on 23 May 2001.[4]
On 5 December 2002, CVW-3 departed for its 26th deployment to the Mediterranean, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and on 20 March 2003, CVW-3 began taking part in theIraq War, flying defensive counter air missions in Western Iraq, launching aircraft off the coast of Egypt in the South Eastern Mediterranean.[4] CVW-3 made four deployments aboardHarry S. Truman to the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean between 2004 and 2010.
On 7 January 2013 Captain Sara A. Joyner, USN, took command of Carrier Air Wing Three, becoming the first woman to lead a U.S. Navy carrier air wing as well as the air wing's 57thCAG. Before assuming command of CVW-3, Joyner had served as its deputy commander.[5][6] On 22 December 2013, Joyner was superseded by her air wing's deputy commander (DCAG), Capt. George Wikoff.[7] After a period at NAVAIRLANT, in 2016 Joyner is Director, Senate Liaison Office,Office of Legislative Liaison,U.S. Department of the Navy.
CVW-3 completed a deployment to the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet in April 2014, after nine months at sea. The air wing successfully supported US and coalition troops in Afghanistan, operated with theFrench aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, and conducted multiple liberty-as-a-mission port calls to Bahrain, Dubai, France and Spain.
In 2015, CVW-3 was reassigned toUSS Dwight D. Eisenhower and deployed to the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean in 2016 and in 2021. On 31 March 2021, CVW-3 launched flight operations in support ofOperation Inherent Resolve. The USSDwight D. Eisenhower and its carrier strike group were expected to lead Task Force 50, which oversees Operation Inherent Resolve's naval strike operations.[8]
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