In 1988 VP-4 returned to Hawaii where they participated in numerous exercises, including Exercise RIMPAC. In 1989 VP-4 completed a highly deployment to NAS Adak, conducting numerous ASW operations and participating in PACIFIC EXERCISE-89, the largest Naval exercise since World War II. Deploying to Diego Garcia in November 1990, VP-4 quickly established a detachment at RAFO Masirah, Oman to enforce the United Nations Embargo against Iraq during Operation Desert Shield. By early January 1991, 179 missions had challenged 3,669 merchant vessels. The embargo gave way to Battle Force Protection as war was declared on 17 January 1991. Flying 279 combat missions and 2,779 flight hours in the Persian Gulf in support of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, VP-4 provided detection and targeting, resulting in the total destruction of the Iraqi Navy.