VAQ - 138 Electronic Attack Squadron 138 ( VAQ - 138 ) , also known as the " Yellow Jackets " , is an expeditionary EA - 18G Growler squadron of the United States Navy based at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island , Washington . Their mission is to project Electronic Attack dominance anywhere in the world at any time by providing fully combat ready aircraft and personnel . Their radio callsign is " RAMPAGE " . Squadron history . 1970s – 1990s . VAQ - 138 was established as an operational squadron in February 1976 and made its first deployment aboard USS Saratoga ( CV - 60 ) to the Mediterranean Sea . The squadron completed three more deployments to the Mediterranean Sea aboard USS Eisenhower ( CVN - 69 ) and USS John F . Kennedy ( CV - 67 ) during the late 1970s and early 1980s . Following an around - the - world deployment in 1982 aboard " Kennedy " , the squadron joined USS Ranger ( CV - 61 ) for a deployment to the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean in 1983 . After 1984 , the Yellow Jackets made eight deployments aboard USS Nimitz ( CVN - 68 ) , participating in Central American operations in 1985 , the Libyan counter - terrorist operation in 1986 , Operations Desert Storm and Provide Comfort in 1991 , and Operation Southern Watch in 1993 , 1996 , and a 1997 - 1998 around - the - world deployment . November 1996 saw the selection of the Yellow Jackets to fill a two - month gap in EA - 6B coverage at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni , Japan . Upon their return , workups were started for an around - the - world cruise on the USS Nimitz ( CVN - 68 ) . The conclusion of the 1997 - 1998 Persian Gulf deployment again found the Yellow Jackets recognized for superior performance and awarded the 1997 Admiral Arthur W . Radford Award , the 1997 Battle Efficiency Award , the 1997 CNO Aviation Safety Award , and the 1998 Golden Anchor Award . In April 1999 , VAQ - 138 deployed to Aviano Air Base , Italy to conduct combat operations over Serbia and Kosovo during Operation Allied Force . While deployed to Aviano , the squadron flew over 500 combat sorties and fired more than 60 AGM - 88 HARM against Serbian targets . Three weeks after returning from Italy , the squadron began work - ups aboard the USS John C . Stennis which culminated in a Western Pacific and Persian Gulf deployment , during which they conducted two and a half months of missions in support of Operation Southern Watch . War on Terror . The September 11 , 2001 attacks found the squadron underway for work - ups aboard the USS John C . Stennis , and resulted in an accelerated work - up cycle and deployment to the Northern Persian Gulf . The squadron commenced combat operations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom on December 17 , 2001 and included missions in support of Operation Anaconda . The squadron returned to NAS Whidbey Island following seven months of deployment in June 2002 . In September 2002 , the squadron began work - ups for an eight - month deployment to the Western Pacific from January though September 2003 . During this time , the squadron transitioned to the Block 89A configuration of the EA - 6B , and conducted the first operational deployment of the Block 89A . During the deployment , the squadron executed detachments to Kadena Air Base , Okinawa ; MCAS Iwakuni , Japan ; Andersen Air Force Base , Guam , and Naval Air Facility Atsugi , Japan and participated in Exercise Foal Eagle in Korea . The Yellow Jackets departed San Diego in February 2005 and sailed into Norfolk , VA , on the last day of July after flying over 300 combat sorties and amassing over 1600 combat flight hours during four months of supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom . The VAQ - 138 Yellow Jackets departed Naval Air Station North Island , Coronado , California on 18 January 2007 for the USS John C . Stennis to begin their seven - month Western pacific deployment with Carrier Air Wing Nine ( CVW - 9 ) , during which they supported the ongoing operations in Afghanistan and Iraq . The Yellow Jackets amassed over 650 flight hours consisting of combat missions over Afghanistan and Iraq and also contributed to vital security operations in the Persian Gulf . During their 2007 WESTPAC , the four EA - 6B ICAP III Prowlers of VAQ - 138 logged over 1 , 700 flight hours , and the Yellow Jacket Maintenance team was instrumental in helping the aircrew achieve a 96 % combat sortie completion rate . Following their 2009 cruise on board the USS John C . Stennis ( CVN - 74 ) , the Yellow Jackets began transitioning to the EA - 18G Growler , the most advanced Electronic Attack aircraft in the world today . They were certified ' Safe for Flight ' in their new aircraft in August 2010 .