The Growlers of VAQ-130 ‘Zappers’ have been embarked on USS Dwight D. Eisenhower during their deployment
in the Red Sea. Patrick Roegies and Ben Gorski spoke to CDR Carl Ellsworth about the challenges they faced

Throughout the deployment, Electronic Attack Squadron ONE THREE ZERO (VAQ-130), nicknamed the ‘Zappers’, were assigned to CVW-3. Led by CDR Carl Ellsworth, VAQ-130 operates the Boeing EA-18G Growler. This aircraft replaced the Northrop Grumman EA-6B Prowler as the United States’ sole dedicated tactical electronic attack aircraft. The primarymission assigned to the Zappers is the Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD). During the 2023-2024 deployment they were the fi rst of two squadrons to employ an Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile (AARGM) in combat. VAQ 130 was also the first Growler squadron in Navy history to score an air-to-air kill. During their numerous combat sorties the aircraft assigned to CVW-3 embarked aboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower,employed several weapons in combatand struck several assigned and valid military targets.