VAW - 112 Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron One One Two ( VAW - 112 ) is a United States Navy airborne early warning ( AEW ) squadron . Nicknamed " Golden Hawks " , they fly the E - 2 Hawkeye . The squadron is based out of Naval Air Station Point Mugu , California and deploy as part of Carrier Air Wing 9 on board the . Mission . To provide effective Airborne Early Warning and Command and Control services to Fleet , Joint and Coalition forces during peace and combat . History . 1960s – 1980s . The squadron was established April 20 , 1967 and assigned to Carrier Air Wing NINE ( CVW - 9 ) . The squadron made three combat deployments operating the E - 2A Hawkeye in the western Pacific in support of the Vietnam War aboard the . In May 1970 , the squadron was temporarily disestablished and placed in a " stand down " status until reactivated on July 3 , 1973 . The Golden Hawks , now flying E - 2Bs , were assigned to Carrier Air Wing 2 ( CVW - 2 ) and made three Western Pacific / Indian Ocean deployments on board the , before assignment to Carrier Air Wing 8 ( CVW - 8 ) aboard the , for a Mediterranean and Indian Ocean deployment . In May 1979 , the squadron transitioned to the E - 2C and again became part of CVW - 9 in February 1981 . As part of CVW - 9 , VAW - 112 made three Western Pacific / Indian Ocean deployments on board , USS " Ranger " and . During this period , VAW - 112 was awarded the Battle Efficiency ( Battle " E " ) award for 1979 and 1985 . During 1989 , VAW - 112 deployed aboard USS " Nimitz " for NORPAC 89 , and in August 1989 , they became the first West Coast squadron to transition to the E - 2C Plus aircraft . 1990s . In February and March 1990 , VAW - 112 deployed aboard USS Constellation for an " Around the Horn " of South America to Norfolk , Virginia cruise . Then in September 1990 , the squadron deployed to Howard Air Force Base , Panama , for a Joint Task Force Four counter narcotics operation . The squadron finished the year and entered 1991 with the CVW - 9 workup schedule on board the USS " Nimitz " . In March 1991 , the squadron departed for the Western Pacific , Indian Ocean , Northern Persian Gulf cruise in support of Operation Desert Storm aboard the USS Nimitz . In December 1991 , VAW - 112 deployed again to Howard Air Force Base , Panama for another Joint Task Force Four counter narcotics operation . The squadron participated in joint and combined exercises in 1992 including Roving Sands in May 1992 . In February 1993 , VAW - 112 deployed aboard USS " Nimitz " to the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Southern Watch , flying more than 1 , 000 hours . Upon returning , VAW - 112 transitioned to the E - 2C Plus Group II . In November 1993 , VAW - 112 deployed to Naval Station Guantanamo Bay , Cuba . The year of 1994 was a year of numerous detachments for VAW - 112 , due to the " Nimitz " ’ dry dock period . These included Red Air and Red Flag exercises during February ; JADO / JEZ trials in March ; Roving Sands and Maple Flag in Cold Lake , Alberta , Canada in June ; and another Joint Task Force Four counter narcotics operation detachment in August . Following a rigorous work - up cycle in 1995 , the squadron departed San Diego for the Persian Gulf aboard the USS Nimitz in December . After remaining on station for three months , VAW - 112 departed the Persian Gulf to support United States foreign policy off the coast of Taiwan . After returning home in May , the squadron then headed for Puerto Rico in mid July for counter narcotics operations at Naval Station Roosevelt Roads . During a 1997 work - up cycle for an " Around the World " deployment in late July , the squadron participated in a Pacific Fleet Surge Exercise . The squadron provided battle space command and control to the battle group for more than 96 continuous hours . It was during this time that VAW - 112 also surpassed a safety milestone – 27 years and more than 57 , 000 mishaps - free flight hours . They departed San Diego in September 1997 on another " Around the World " deployment . In 1997 , the Golden Hawks were presented the Battle " E " , the CNO Safety " S " Award , and the coveted Airborne Early Warning Excellence Award . The Golden Hawks deployed in July 1998 for a short detachment to Hawaii aboard the USS Kitty Hawk and later transferred the newest E - 2C Plus Group II Navigation Upgrade aircraft to VAW - 115 home bases at Naval Air Facility Atsugi , Japan . The " Golden Hawks " of Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 112 ( VAW - 112 ) moved from Naval Air Station Miramar to Naval Air Station Point Mugu , California in July 1998 . 2000s . Following a work up period in 1999 , the Golden Hawks deployed aboard USS " John C . Stennis " in January 2000 for a Western Pacific / Indian Ocean cruise that included flight operations in support of Operation Southern Watch over Iraq . The squadron wrapped up 2000 with counter narcotics operations in Puerto Rico in September and a carrier qualification detachment to Mazatlán , Mexico in December . In 2001 , the Golden Hawks executed several aircraft control detachments including detachments to Naval Air Station Key West , Florida ; Naval Station Norfolk , Virginia and Naval Air Station Fallon , Nevada . While still continuing their workup cycle leading to a 2002 deployment , the Golden Hawks also participated in Fleet Battle Experiment India , providing air control services to the battle group participating in the highest profile Navy exercise in many years . The squadron was called to defend the country after the September 11th terrorist act on the World Trade Center in New York City and on The Pentagon in Washington , D . C . Around the clock , the Golden Hawks stood alerts and flew combat missions for the air defense of the entire western coast of the U . S . in support of Operation Noble Eagle . Immediately following their actions in Operation Noble Eagle , the Golden Hawks left for Air Wing Fallon in Fallon , Nevada . The squadron finished an accelerated training schedule and deployed two months early in mid - November 2001 along with the rest of CVW - 9 aboard the USS " John C . Stennis " . After an expedited transit across the Pacific the squadron commenced combat operations over Afghanistan in mid - December . The squadron accumulated over 2 , 095 hours , 500 sorties , and logging 666 arrested landings in support of Operation Enduring Freedom . The Golden Hawks returned home to NAS Point Mugu at the end of May , 2002 . Upon returning home , VAW - 112 completed training to transition to the Mission Computer Upgrade and Advanced Controller Indicator Set ( MCU / ACIS ) Navigation Upgrade version of the E - 2C Plus . This new version of the Hawkeye featured new display scopes and interfaces for aircraft controllers and mission commanders , along with a new , more powerful mission computer . In addition , the aircraft ' s navigation system is significantly more reliable . After four short months at home , VAW - 112 was called upon again to ready itself for the possibility of an early deployment . In October 2002 , the Golden Hawks commenced an unannounced , compressed inter - deployment turnaround cycle and left for NAS Fallon , Nevada to complete both Strike Fighter Advance Readiness Program ( SFARP ) and Air Wing Nine Fallon Det in a record span of three weeks . The Golden Hawks returned home for three weeks and readied themselves for COMPTUEX PLUS on board the . In January 2003 the Golden Hawks deployed to the Western Pacific on board USS Carl Vinson , seven months ahead of schedule to serve as a deterrent force in the global war against terrorism . During the West Pac 2003 cruise the Golden Hawks visited Hawaii , Guam , Pusan , South Korea , Japan , Singapore , Perth , and Hong Kong . When CVW - 9 returned home in November 2003 , it had been deployed , embarked , or detached for twenty - one of the previous twenty - seven months making the air wing the most deployed Naval Aviation unit since the events of September 11 , 2001 . In January 2004 , the Golden Hawks departed once more on the USS Carl Vinson for a three - week Tailored Ships Training Availability ( TSTA ) exercise . This was repeated again in June 2004 and served as the beginning of the next workup cycle in preparation for deploying in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom ( OIF ) . Following TSTA the squadron again detached to NAS Fallon , Nevada on two different occasions – first for three weeks to complete SFARP and again two months later for Air Wing Fallon for four weeks . The workup cycle also included a three - week return to the USS Carl Vinson for the carrier ' s Composite Training Unit Exercise ( COMPTUEX ) which brought the entire strike group together into one cohesive fighting unit in preparation for actual combat operations . In January 2005 , VAW - 112 prepared for an " Around the World " deployment on board the USS Carl Vinson and after a three - week Joint Task Force Exercise ( JTFEX ) , promptly headed west in support of OIF . After port calls in Guam and Singapore , the USS " Carl Vinson " and CVW - 9 arrived in the Persian Gulf where VAW - 112 immediately began flying missions over Iraq . The Golden Hawks served as an airborne battlefield communications relay for the troops and convoys in country . VAW - 112 carried out over 480 sorties , accumulating nearly 1 , 500 hours with a 98 percent sortie completion rate . The Golden Hawks returned from their " around the world " deployment in August 2005 . With the end of their deployment , VAW - 112 and CVW - 9 transferred to the USS " John C . Stennis " as the USS " Carl Vinson " entered a complex overhaul cycle at Newport News , Virginia . In November 2005 , the Golden Hawks became the first squadron on the West Coast to incorporate the NP2000 eight blade modification for its propellers . In April 2006 the Golden Hawks began work ups for their scheduled 2007 deployment . Beginning with the Hawkeye Advance Readiness Program ( HARP ) , 112 honed their skills in the aircraft in preparation for that May ' s SFARP , Strike Fighter Advance Readiness Program , at NAS Fallon . The Golden Hawks returned to sea that June on board the " John C . Stennis " for Tailored Ships Training Availability ( TSTA ) . Enjoying a few well - deserved weeks at home , the Golden Hawks returned to NAS Fallon in August to complete Air Wing Fallon . In September 2006 , the squadron modified their aircraft to incorporate both the Automatic Identification System ( AIS ) and Intra Battle Group Wireless Network ( IBGWN ) , which they first employed during COMPTUEX . Following CSG - 3 ' s Joint Task Force Exercise ( JTFEX ) , the Golden Hawks returned to Pt . Mugu for the holidays and prepared for their upcoming January deployment . In January , 2007 , VAW - 112 again deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom . The Golden Hawks served as an airborne battlefield communications platform coordinating close air support and tanking missions . VAW - 112 carried out over 950 sorties , accumulating over 1 , 800 hours with a 98 percent sortie completion rate . After five months in the Northern Arabian Sea and Persian Gulf , the Golden Hawks returned to NAS Point Mugu , California to complete a seven - month deployment . For their efforts in the air and on the ground , VAW - 112 was awarded the Battle Efficiency Award or ‘ Battle E ’ from Commander , Naval Air Forces , U . S . Pacific Fleet . Upon return from deployment , VAW - 112 received four new Hawkeye 2000 aircraft . This platform incorporates new electronic and flight systems increasing the Golden Hawk ' s ability to provide accurate and timely airborne command and control . 2010s . On 18 December 2011 , the final command - and - control mission for U . S . forces over Iraq was flown by an E - 2C Hawkeye ( " pictured " ) from Airborne Early Warning Squadron 112 ( VAW - 112 ) , catapulting off the carrier at 7 : 32 a . m . and returning at 11 : 04 a . m , both local time . This mission effectively ended U . S . naval support for .