VQ-1 World Watchers - Stand Down, You Are Relieved

[WorldWatcher]

For decades we stood the watch.

We always said: "In God We Trust, all others we monitor."

We flew to gather the data and the intel needed by the fleet and other national assets. I've got 10's of thousands of flight hours on E-2's, EP-3's, and their smaller sister the little known ES-A (an aircraft version that didn't last long in the grand scheme of things).

While "The Watch" is normally considered a poem read at the funeral of a shipmate and we stood the watch for well over 20 years, I think it's applicable here to all my friends and shipmates from years gone by. We stood the watch.

March 31st, The World Watchers will be no more, that is their formal decommissioning date.

"Fair winds and following seas, you stood the watch.

Thank you to @JMB1911A1 for the news.


WW
ATC (NAC/AW)
USN, Ret.

After 60 Years, EP-3E Aries II Spy Plane Carries Out Final Mission In 5th Fleet Area Of Operations

The last EP-3E Aries II of VQ-1 "World Watchers" has completed its final operational mission and returned home. On Oct. 29, 2024, after nearly sixty years

theaviationist.com

VQ-1 - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

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The Watch​

For twenty years
This sailor has stood the watch

While some of us were in our bunks at night
This sailor stood the watch

While some of us were in school learning our trade
This shipmate stood the watch

Yes.. even before some of us were born into this world
This shipmate stood the watch

In those years when the storm clouds of war were seen brewing on the horizon of history
This shipmate stood the watch

Many times he would cast an eye ashore and see his family standing there
Needing his guidance and help
Needing that hand to hold during those hard times
But he still stood the watch

He stood the watch for twenty years
He stood the watch so that we, our families and
Our fellow countrymen could sleep soundly in safety, Each and every night
Knowing that a sailor stood the watch

Today we are here to say
'Shipmate... the watch stands relieved
Relieved by those You have trained ,Guided, and Led
Shipmate you stand relieved.. we have the watch..."

"Boatswain..Standby to pipe the side...Shipmate's going Ashore.."

 

[OrphanSlug]

That is incredible, such a long period of service. End of an era.

 

[WorldWatcher]

That is incredible, such a long period of service. End of an era.

As I was posting that I must have gotten something in my eye.

WW

 

[Rogue Valley]

Thank you for your service WW

 

[Mycroft]

As I was posting that I must have gotten something in my eye.

WW

I had the same thing happen when I read your post.

Thank you.

 

[Rich2018]

The EP-3E has been succeeded by the MQ-4C Triton high-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle operated by Unmanned Patrol Squadron 19. VQ-1 has one P-3C remaining, which it used as a utility training and transport aircraft.

 

[JMB1911A1]

The EP-3E has been succeeded by the MQ-4C Triton high-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle operated by Unmanned Patrol Squadron 19. VQ-1 has one P-3C remaining, which it used as a utility training and transport aircraft.

This post is zero value added. Someone doesn’t understand naval tradition and how it feels when your squadron/community is shut down.

 

[notquiteright]

This post is zero value added. Someone doesn’t understand naval tradition and how it feels when your squadron/community is shut down.

Such whine, want some cheese???
Both my divisions are no more. I shed no tears but and instead carry the lessons (and a scar) I don't weep for my old M16A1, the old Claymore, the old M113A1, the old 4 deuce mortar, M60A1, the old 'slicks' we rode... you get the idea.
My wife was ASA before it was stood down and MI took over. Her unofficial motto was as the OP stated. ...'All others we monitor'. The official motto was 'Semper Vigilis'.
I guess it's the same as with the old 1911A1. Fondly remembered but shouldn't whine about it.
Life goes on, the horse we ride, the ship that sails, the bird that flies may change but the call to duty doesn't...
Case the colors, salute and get on with it... Scouts Out!!!

 

[Rich2018]

This post is zero value added. Someone doesn’t understand naval tradition and how it feels when your squadron/community is shut down.

Tradition comes a poor second to technology
If tradition were so important to the US Navy, they'd be still using sail as the prime means of propulsion

I cannot imagine any regret when a squadron ageing aircraft are is replaced by modern aircraft
Like the RAF's Tornado strike aircraft being replaced with F-35's

And service members get new postings every couple of years anyway.

 

[WorldWatcher]

Tradition comes a poor second to technology
If tradition were so important to the US Navy, they'd be still using sail as the prime means of propulsion

I cannot imagine any regret when a squadron ageing aircraft are is replaced by modern aircraft
Like the RAF's Tornado strike aircraft being replaced with F-35's

And service members get new postings every couple of years anyway.

I'm highly suspect that the MQ-4 drone will be as capable as a crewed sensor platform.

I know the EP-3E was getting very long in the tooth.

I do say that replacement with a drone may not be as effective a sensor platform as say using the P-3 replacement (The P-8 Poseidon) as a new platform with SIGINT and COMINT capabilities beyond those that can be available to be stuffed into a (relatively) smaller drone. I drone that would be required to either record transmissions for later analysis or would have to be transmitted back via telemetry for any type of real-time analysis.

WW

 

[Rich2018]

I'm highly suspect that the MQ-4 drone will be as capable as a crewed sensor platform.

I know the EP-3E was getting very long in the tooth.

I do say that replacement with a drone may not be as effective a sensor platform as say using the P-3 replacement (The P-8 Poseidon) as a new platform with SIGINT and COMINT capabilities beyond those that can be available to be stuffed into a (relatively) smaller drone. I drone that would be required to either record transmissions for later analysis or would have to be transmitted back via telemetry for any type of real-time analysis.

WW

I would seriously doubt that the USN would retire the EP-3E Aries II spy plane for a less capable platform.

 

[WorldWatcher]

I would seriously doubt that the USN would retire the EP-3E Aries II spy plane for a less capable platform.

I don’t.

Do you know old the airframes are were? How many flight hours?

All the EP-3s were converted from VP squadron planes. None were built new.

Aircraft have a service life.

I believe the Navy would have loved some EP-8s, but didn’t have the budget for procurement.

WW

 

[Rich2018]

Do you know old the airframes are were? How many flight hours?

No, do you ?

Aircraft have a service life.

Indeed.

I believe the Navy would have loved some EP-8s, but didn’t have the budget for procurement.

OK.

 

[WorldWatcher]

No, do you ?

Yes.

I was in VQ-1.

We were converting from ARIES I to ARIES II in the early 90’s and they were rebuilds from VP squadrons.

You?

WW

 

[Rich2018]

Yes.

I was in VQ-1.

We were converting from ARIES I to ARIES II in the early 90’s and they were rebuilds from VP squadrons.

You?

WW

I was a staff sergeant in the British Army Intelligence Corps and worked with the US built Predator UAV.

 

[WorldWatcher]

I was a staff sergeant in the British Army Intelligence Corps and worked with the US built Predator UAV.

Good then you know a drone doesn’t have the all around system flexibility and number of sensors systems that a crewed P-3/P-8 has.
WW

 

[Rich2018]

Good then you know a drone doesn’t have the all around system flexibility and number of sensors systems that a crewed P-3/P-8 has.
WW

And I know the difference between a drone and a UAV.

 

[JMB1911A1]

And I know the difference between a drone and a UAV.

UAVs are drones. Your credibility is shot. Again.

Unmanned aerial vehicle - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

“An unmanned aerial vehicle(UAV), or unmanned aircraft system (UAS), commonly known as a drone, is an aircraft with no human pilot, crew, or passengers onboard, but rather is controlled remotely or is autonomous.”

 

[Rich2018]

UAVs are drones

Wrong again - as usual.

 

[JMB1911A1]

Wrong again - as usual.

Back it up with a citation. I did. And trust me, I have more time around Unmanned Aerial Systems than you.

 

[Rich2018]

Back it up with a citation. I did. And trust me, I have more time around Unmanned Aerial Systems than you.

We used "drones" in the British Army - they were used in training through to the end of the Cold War

A "Drone" was a pre-programmed aerial surveillance craft, launched from rail mounted on a truck
Basically you programmed it with a pre-determined flight path. If all went well, it would return home at a certain time, upon which the "wet film", in the on-board cameras was taken out and hurriedly developed for analysis by IAs (Image Analysts) using stereoscopes
The problem was they didn't always return, and even when they did, any intelligence captured by the camera was old, sometimes several hours old.

They were replaced by UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles), or in the politically correct USA: Uninhabited Aerial Vehicles, which were actually piloted from a ground station and gave images back in real time. IIRC the first real UAV was operated by the IDF in the 1982 invasion of The Lebanon
The first one we got to use was the very basic Phoenix system which was originally designed as an aerial OP for the Royal Artillery
That was swiftly replaced in the intelligence role with the US built Predator. Now the British Army has several different UAV types

However the term "drone" somehow stuck and news channels started referring to them as "drones". But in the military, they're called UAVs, if you called it a "drone", it is like calling a self propelled gun, a "tank".

 

[JMB1911A1]

We used "drones" in the British Army - they were used in training through to the end of the Cold War

A "Drone" was a pre-programmed aerial surveillance craft, launched from rail mounted on a truck
Basically you programmed it with a pre-determined flight path. If all went well, it would return home at a certain time, upon which the "wet film", in the on-board cameras was taken out and hurriedly developed for analysis by IAs (Image Analysts) using stereoscopes
The problem was they didn't always return, and even when they did, any intelligence captured by the camera was old, sometimes several hours old.

They were replaced by UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles), or in the politically correct USA: Uninhabited Aerial Vehicles, which were actually piloted from a ground station and gave images back in real time. IIRC the first real UAV was operated by the IDF in the 1982 invasion of The Lebanon
The first one we got to use was the very basic Phoenix system which was originally designed as an aerial OP for the Royal Artillery
That was swiftly replaced in the intelligence role with the US built Predator. Now the British Army has several different UAV types

However the term "drone" somehow stuck and news channels started referring to them as "drones". But in the military, they're called UAVs, if you called it a "drone", it is like calling a self propelled gun, a "tank".

Well, I don’t give a **** what the UK calls them, but good job on using Google to back up your fictional background.

UAV=UAS=drone in the U.S. military.

 

[Rich2018]

Well, I don’t give a **** what the UK calls them, but good job on using Google to back up your fictional background.

UAV=UAS=drone in the U.S. military.

Well I already told you what the US military calls them: "Uninhabited Aerial Vehicles" (because they're too politically correct to call them "Unmanned Aerial Vehicles"
And I served in a NATO intel unit, run by the US military, and I can assure you they were not called drones

Seems the US military still indeed call them UAVs:

"The first use of armed UAVs was in 2001, in which an MQ-1 Predator was used to carry anti-tank missiles into Afghanistan, controlled by the CIA. Until 2006, flight hours by UAVs were not logged, though the DoD now states that millions of UAV flight hours have been logged...
UAVs no longer perform solely intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions, although these still remain their predominant tasks..."

Unmanned aerial vehicles in the United States military - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

And I bet to you a self propelled gun is a tank.

 

[JMB1911A1]

Well I already told you what the US military calls them: "Uninhabited Aerial Vehicles" (because they're too politically correct to call them "Unmanned Aerial Vehicles"
And I served in a NATO intel unit, run by the US military, and I can assure you they were not called drones

Seems the US military still indeed call them UAVs:

"The first use of armed UAVs was in 2001, in which an MQ-1 Predator was used to carry anti-tank missiles into Afghanistan, controlled by the CIA. Until 2006, flight hours by UAVs were not logged, though the DoD now states that millions of UAV flight hours have been logged...
UAVs no longer perform solely intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions, although these still remain their predominant tasks..."

Unmanned aerial vehicles in the United States military - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

And I bet to you a self propelled gun is a tank.

Do you want to delete this post and repost it before I reply.

 

[Rich2018]

Do you want to delete this post and repost it before I reply.

Do you actually want to reply in good faith ?

I've told you the difference between drones and UAVs, but you don't want to listen

I even told you that the term UAV is used in both the US and UK militaries - yet you try to dismiss the difference by somehow claiming it is just a UK military distinction. It is not

I dare say that the overwhelming number of people in the UK think as you do that drones and UAVs are interchangeable terms
I dare say most soldiers do to
I dare say this also applies to the overwhelming number of US people and most US servicemen too

I truth I use the term "drone" for UAV when talking to most people unfamiliar with aircraft types, but when I'm talking to people who do know the difference, I use the terms UAV or drones correctly

Most people would call an SPG or an IFV a "tank"
But when speaking to military people who do know the difference, it's best to use the correct terms.