VP-94
Encyclopedia
The VP-94 "Crawfishers" was a U.S. Navy Reserve P-2 Neptune
and P-3 Orion
antisubmarine warfare and maritime patrol squadron based at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans
, Louisiana.
VP-94 was initially established in 1970 as part of a Navy initiative for the majority of combat aviation units in the then-Naval Reserve
(now Navy Reserve
) to be organized as front line commissioned units with their own aircraft and support equipment.
VP-94 was one of thirteen (13) Reserve patrol squadrons assigned to Reserve Patrol Wing Atlantic (RESPATWINGLANT) and Reserve Patrol Wing Pacific/Patrol Wing FOUR (RESPATWINGPAC/PatWing
4) under the operational control of Naval Air Reserve Force (NAVAIRESFOR), later redesignated as Naval Air Force Reserve (NAVAIRES). All Naval Reserve Force Squadrons, patrol, fighter, fighter/attack, etc., are/were colloquially referred to as Reserve Force Squadrons, or RESFORONS, manned by a combination of full-time active duty Training and Administration of the Reserve/Full Time Support (TAR/FTS) and traditional part-time Selected Reserve (SELRES) personnel. TAR/FTS personnel nominally comprised approximately 33% of these squadrons' manning and SELRES approximately 67%. The squadron's part-time personnel, especially the aircrews, were required and funded to perform far more than the typical one weekend a month and two weeks a year of duty, with many averaging 120 or more man-days of military duty annually.
Throughout the Cold War
, VP-94 initially operated the SP-2H Neptune transitioning to the P-3A Orion in April, 1978, followed by the P-3B and finally the P-3C aircraft, deploying world-wide on a routine basis, primarily tracking Soviet submarines and surface vessels. The squadron also played a role in Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean drug interdiction operations with the U.S. Coast Guard. The squadron was awarded the Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Citation with Operational Device and the Coast Guard Special Operations Ribbon for these operations.
Following the demise of the Soviet Union
, the resultant reduction in Russian naval activity, and the perceived "Peace Dividend" of the mid-1990s, much of the U.S. Navy's P-3 maritime patrol aircraft fleet was subjected to budgetary reductions. In the case of the active duty P-3 fleet, the entire patrol aviation (VP) community was reduced by a full 50%, going from twenty-four (24) deployable P-3C fleet squadrons and two (2) fleet replacement squadrons, to twelve (12) deployable P-3C fleet squadrons and one (1) single-site fleet replacement squadron.
The Reserve VP community of thirteen (13) P-3B and P-3C squadrons was subjected to even more drastic reductions. VP-94 was one of eleven (11) Reserve VP squadrons disestablished as cost-savings initiative which eliminated all squadrons still operating P-3B aircraft, those aircraft being retired to AMARC, and eliminating all but two of the Reserve P-3C squadrons, transferring the bulk of the Reserve P-3C aircraft back to the control of the Regular Navy at the principal active duty CONUS and Hawaii P-3 bases.
VP-94 was disestablished in September 2006. The remaining Reserve P-3C squadrons are VP-62 (the "Broadarrows") at NAS Jacksonville, Florida and VP-69 (the "Totems") at NAS Whidbey Island, Washington.
P-2 Neptune
The Lockheed P-2 Neptune was a Maritime patrol and ASW aircraft. It was developed for the United States Navy by Lockheed to replace the Lockheed PV-1 Ventura and PV-2 Harpoon, and being replaced in turn with the Lockheed P-3 Orion...
and P-3 Orion
P-3 Orion
The Lockheed P-3 Orion is a four-engine turboprop anti-submarine and maritime surveillance aircraft developed for the United States Navy and introduced in the 1960s. Lockheed based it on the L-188 Electra commercial airliner. The aircraft is easily recognizable by its distinctive tail stinger or...
antisubmarine warfare and maritime patrol squadron based at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans
Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans
Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans is a base of the United States military located in Belle Chasse, unincorporated Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, United States. NAS JRB New Orleans is home to the 159th Fighter Wing as well as other naval activities...
, Louisiana.
VP-94 was initially established in 1970 as part of a Navy initiative for the majority of combat aviation units in the then-Naval Reserve
United States Navy Reserve
The United States Navy Reserve, until 2005 known as the United States Naval Reserve, is the Reserve Component of the United States Navy...
(now Navy Reserve
United States Navy Reserve
The United States Navy Reserve, until 2005 known as the United States Naval Reserve, is the Reserve Component of the United States Navy...
) to be organized as front line commissioned units with their own aircraft and support equipment.
VP-94 was one of thirteen (13) Reserve patrol squadrons assigned to Reserve Patrol Wing Atlantic (RESPATWINGLANT) and Reserve Patrol Wing Pacific/Patrol Wing FOUR (RESPATWINGPAC/PatWing
PatWing
PatWing is a standard U.S Navy abbreviation for "Patrol Wing."The commander of a PatWing is called ComPatWing or COMPATWING.Currently there are three Patrol and Reconnaissance Wings:*Patrol Wing Two at MCAS Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii...
4) under the operational control of Naval Air Reserve Force (NAVAIRESFOR), later redesignated as Naval Air Force Reserve (NAVAIRES). All Naval Reserve Force Squadrons, patrol, fighter, fighter/attack, etc., are/were colloquially referred to as Reserve Force Squadrons, or RESFORONS, manned by a combination of full-time active duty Training and Administration of the Reserve/Full Time Support (TAR/FTS) and traditional part-time Selected Reserve (SELRES) personnel. TAR/FTS personnel nominally comprised approximately 33% of these squadrons' manning and SELRES approximately 67%. The squadron's part-time personnel, especially the aircrews, were required and funded to perform far more than the typical one weekend a month and two weeks a year of duty, with many averaging 120 or more man-days of military duty annually.
Throughout the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
, VP-94 initially operated the SP-2H Neptune transitioning to the P-3A Orion in April, 1978, followed by the P-3B and finally the P-3C aircraft, deploying world-wide on a routine basis, primarily tracking Soviet submarines and surface vessels. The squadron also played a role in Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean drug interdiction operations with the U.S. Coast Guard. The squadron was awarded the Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Citation with Operational Device and the Coast Guard Special Operations Ribbon for these operations.
Following the demise of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, the resultant reduction in Russian naval activity, and the perceived "Peace Dividend" of the mid-1990s, much of the U.S. Navy's P-3 maritime patrol aircraft fleet was subjected to budgetary reductions. In the case of the active duty P-3 fleet, the entire patrol aviation (VP) community was reduced by a full 50%, going from twenty-four (24) deployable P-3C fleet squadrons and two (2) fleet replacement squadrons, to twelve (12) deployable P-3C fleet squadrons and one (1) single-site fleet replacement squadron.
The Reserve VP community of thirteen (13) P-3B and P-3C squadrons was subjected to even more drastic reductions. VP-94 was one of eleven (11) Reserve VP squadrons disestablished as cost-savings initiative which eliminated all squadrons still operating P-3B aircraft, those aircraft being retired to AMARC, and eliminating all but two of the Reserve P-3C squadrons, transferring the bulk of the Reserve P-3C aircraft back to the control of the Regular Navy at the principal active duty CONUS and Hawaii P-3 bases.
VP-94 was disestablished in September 2006. The remaining Reserve P-3C squadrons are VP-62 (the "Broadarrows") at NAS Jacksonville, Florida and VP-69 (the "Totems") at NAS Whidbey Island, Washington.