VAW - 116 VAW - 116 is a US Navy Command and Control Squadron that deploys aboard USS " Carl Vinson " as part of Carrier Air Wing Seventeen . VAW - 116 flies the E - 2C Hawkeye 2000 aircraft . The VAW - 116 Commanding Officer is Commander Dan Harwood . The " Sun Kings " of VAW - 116 are stationed at Naval Base Ventura County Point Mugu , California . VAW - 116 is under the cognizance of Commander , Airborne Command Control and Logistics Wing ( COMACCLOGWING ) . In 2008 , the Sun Kings deployed with Carrier Air Wing ( CVW ) 2 aboard USS " Abraham Lincoln " to the U . S . 5th Fleet area of operations to support maritime security operations ( MSO ) and Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom . Squadron History . On April 20 , 1967 VAW - 116 was commissioned and received the E - 2B aircraft . The " Sun Kings " completed three Far - East deployments as part of Attack Carrier Air Wing FIFTEEN and two while attached to Attack Carrier Air Wing NINE . In July 1975 , VAW - 116 transferred to Attack Carrier Air Wing EIGHT . Concurrently , the west - coast VAW community , including VAW - 116 , moved from Naval Air Station , North Island to Naval Air Station , Miramar . Reassigned to Carrier Air Wing EIGHT , the Sun Kings saw duty in the North Atlantic in 1975 . In 1976 VAW - 116 embarked on USS NIMITZ ( CVN 68 ) for a Mediterranean deployment . The squadron transferred to Carrier Air Wing SEVENTEEN embarked on USS FORESTALL ( CV 59 ) in 1977 , and deployed to the Mediterranean and North Atlantic in March 1978 . During 1979 - 1980 , VAW - 116 transitioned to the E - 2C and made a Western Pacific / Indian Ocean deployment from February 26 , 1980 to October 15 , 1980 aboard USS CONSTELLATION ( CV 64 ) in support of Iranian Contingency Operations . The squadron was assigned to Carrier Air Wing TWO in July 1981 . On April 7 , 1982 , the squadron embarked on USS RANGER ( CV 61 ) for a Western Pacific / Indian Ocean deployment . Returning in October 1982 , the Sun Kings remained with Carrier Air Wing TWO aboard USS KITTY HAWK ( CV 63 ) , deploying on January 13 , 1984 . In July 1987 , the Sun Kings deployed aboard USS RANGER ( CV 61 ) for a six month Western Pacific / Indian Ocean deployment providing support for the re - flagged Kuwaiti Tanker missions . On February 24 , 1989 the squadron deployed aboard USS RANGER ( CV 61 ) to the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean , supporting operations with the Omani and Royal Thai Air Forces . VAW - 116 sailed aboard USS RANGER ( CV 61 ) on December 8 , 1990 to the Western Pacific in support of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm . During Operation Desert Storm the squadron flew 1 , 364 total flight hours and spent 93 days on station in the Persian Gulf . The Sun Kings returned on January 31 , 1993 , from a highly successful Western Pacific deployment in support of Operation Southern Watch in Iraq and Operation Restore Hope in Somalia , winning the coveted Battle Efficiency " E " Award for 1992 . In February 1993 , the Sun Kings commenced a transition from the E - 2C Group 0 to the E - 2C Group II aircraft . The Group II weapons system represented a tremendous advancement in avionics , communications , propulsion , and navigation systems . In May 1993 , VAW - 116 deployed to the Republic of Panama in support of JTF - 4 Joint Task Force Four Operations . Upon returning , the Sun Kings were awarded the AEW Excellence Award for 1992 . This remarkable achievement recognized the Sun Kings as the premier VAW Squadron for the entire E - 2C community . In November 1993 , VAW - 116 commenced a rigorous work up cycle at NAS Fallon , Nevada . This cycle included " Rim of the Pacific " ( RIMPAC 94 ) , in which Carrier Air Wing Two conducted joint operations with five other nations , and culminated in Fleet exercises during August / September 1994 . On 10 November 1994 the Squadron embarked on USS CONSTELLATION ( CV 64 ) on a Western Pacific and Persian Gulf deployment . The Sun Kings provided vital AEW and Battle Group coverage off the coast of North Korea and supported Operation Southern Watch over Iraq . In June 1995 and February 1996 , the Sun Kings deployed to conduct surveillance operations at Naval Station Roosevelt Roads , Puerto Rico , in support of Joint Inter - agency Task Force East ( JIATF - EAST ) . On 1 April 1997 , the squadron embarked on USS CONSTELLATION ( CV 64 ) for a Western Pacific and Persian Gulf deployment . During the six month deployment the squadron provided vital surveillance of Iraq in support of the United Nations ’ “ No Fly Zone ” as part of Operation Southern Watch . In addition , the squadron participated in military exercises with the Pakistani Air Force . In February and March 1998 the squadron again deployed to Naval Station Roosevelt Roads , Puerto Rico , to conduct counter narcotics surveillance operations in support of JIATF - EAST . On 18 June 1999 the Squadron embarked on USS CONSTELLATION ( CV 64 ) for a Western Pacific / Persian Gulf deployment . During the next six months VAW - 116 provided surveillance of Iraq in support of Operation SOUTHERN WATCH . After this successful deployment the squadron was awarded the 1999 Chief of Naval Operations Safety " S " . In January 2000 , the squadron deployed again to conduct surveillance operations at Naval Station Roosevelt Roads , Puerto Rico in Support of JIATF - EAST . The Sun Kings deployed aboard USS CONSTELLATION ( CV 64 ) to the Western Pacific and Persian Gulf from 15 March 2001 to 15 September 2001 , providing airborne early warning for Operation SOUTHERN WATCH over Iraq . The Sun Kings deployed to Naval Air Station Norfolk , Virginia in support of Operation Noble Eagle . During this operation , the Sun Kings assisted in providing continual airborne early warning coverage over the East Coast as a result of the 11 September 2001 Terrorist Attacks . VAW - 116 embarked on to the Western Pacific and Persian Gulf on October 2002 . The Sun Kings flew extensive Airborne Battlefield Command and Control missions in support of the U . S . Army V Corps ’ and the U . S . Marine Corps II MEF ’ s invasion of Iraq and advance on Baghdad during the initial weeks of Operation Iraqi Freedom . The squadron was proud to be a part of Connie ’ s final deployment in support of Operations Southern Watch and Iraqi Freedom . In November 2003 , the Sun Kings initiated a transition to the E - 2C Hawkeye 2000 airframe . VAW - 116 completed the transition in August 2004 with delivery of the squadron ’ s fourth and final aircraft . The Sun Kings embarked on USS " Abraham Lincoln " ( CVN - 72 ) in October 2004 , to execute a surge deployment to the Western Pacific . They completed Integrated Warfare Training in the vicinity of Hawaii before transiting west . Their deployment was extended when the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group was called to assist in Operation Unified Assistance in Banda Aceh , Indonesia as a result of the earthquakes and tsunamis that struck the area . The Sun Kings aided in effort by sending Sailors ashore to distribute much needed food and medical aid to the wounded disaster victims . The squadron returned to sea in March 2006 on a Western Pacific deployment in support of exercises Foal Eagle , Valiant Shield , and RIMPAC . Upon their return from deployment in 2006 , the Sun Kings upgraded their aircraft with the eight - bladed New Propeller 2000 system ( NP2K ) . This upgrade was completed in March 2007 , just after the squadron returned from detachment to Fallon , NV . In May 2007 , the Sun Kings completed NP2K carrier qualification aboard off the Virginia Coast . In March 2008 , the Sun Kings embarked on a seven month deployment with Carrier Air Wing TWO aboard USS " Abraham Lincoln " ( CVN - 72 ) to the U . S . Fifth Fleet Area of Responsibility where they flew 266 combat missions in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom in Iraq and Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan . In March 2008 , the Sun Kings embarked with Carrier Air Wing TWO aboard USS " Abraham Lincoln " ( CVN - 72 ) for deployment to the U . S . Fifth Fleet Area of Responsibility . They participated in Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom and provided critical tanker and airspace management for strike and support aircraft . During the deployment , the squadron earned the CVW - 2 Deployment Top Hook award and the Chief ’ s Mess was presented the Broadsword Award for the best CPO Mess in CVW - 2 . They returned home in October 2008 . The Sun Kings once again deployed with Carrier Air Wing Two aboard USS Abraham Lincoln on September 11 , 2010 for a 6 month cruise to the 5th Fleet Area of Operations . The Sun Kings supported Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation New Dawn in Iraq until they returned home in March 2011 . In April and May of 2011 the Sun King ' s transitioned to the E - 2C CNS / ATM Hawkeye 2000 all glass cockpit variant of the E - 2C . In December 2011 Carrier Air Wing Two and the Sun Kings once again deployed on the USS Abraham Lincoln for an 8 month around the world deployment to the 5th Area of Operations in direct support of Operation Enduring Freedom . On July 17 , 2012 , VAW - 116 and the USS Abraham Lincoln transited through the Suez Canal on their way home to the United States ; the deployment concluded on August 3 , 2012 when the Sun Kings flew 4 aircraft from USS Abraham Lincoln off the Virginia coast back to NAS PT Mugu , California . In October 2012 VAW - 116 joined Carrier Air Wing 17 as a member of Carrier Strike Group 1 attached to USS Carl Vinson . Music videos . VAW - 116 became " semi - famous " in 2006 for its remake of the " Pump It " music video , by The Black Eyed Peas . The video originated as a project on board ship to fight off boredom and to boost morale , but stemmed into what is almost a full fledged production and a free recruiting ad for the Navy . Pump It has recorded over 4 , 000 , 000 views on YouTube . The crew have since recorded two more video remakes - Outkast ' s video " Hey Ya , " which included every single member of the Sun Kings and " Move Along " - both of which have recorded over a million viewers . " Pump It " and " Hey Ya " have been shown on national television , and news stations in other countries . Insignia . The VAW - 116 insignia consists of a solid maroon circle behind a white and gold sun with a fasces in the center , above a gold banner with " VAW - 116 " written on it in maroon .