Marine Prowlers deploy to Iwakuni, Japan under UDP

The Pacific Pivot continues. In addition to more Marine Corps ground units being slated to be based at Okinawa on six-month rotations, it has also been revealed that a USMC EA-6B Prowler squadron has begun operating from MCAS Iwakuni, Japan.

While the linked article above provides little in the way of specifics regarding deployment dates/number of aircraft, our sources have indicated that he first detachment of five aircraft from Marine Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 4 (VMAQ-4) Seahawks have arrived at Iwakuni in early February, and the Prowler detachment will be part of the Marine Corps' Unit Deployment Program (UDP), which currently sees two Marine F/A-18 Hornet squadrons deploy to Iwakuni on six-month rotations. In addition, the aviation element of the UDP also sees Marine AV-8B Harriers and helicopters being stationed on nearby Okinawa.

The Marines currently operate four five-aircraft squadrons of Prowlers from MCAS Cherry Point in North Carolina. The EA-6B Prowler is an Electronic Warfare aircraft equipped with advanced electronic countermeasures and missiles capable of disabling/attacking enemy air defenses and gathering intelligence.