The Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 139 “Cougars” recently took part in a live-fire exercise, joining aircraft from other squadrons at Naval Air Station Lemoore in central California.

The Cougars successfully shot a High Speed Anti-Radiation Missile (HARM) at a target off the coast of Southern California. The HARM is the only forward-firing weapon carried by the EA-6B Prowler and is used to suppress or destroy enemy surface-to-air missile radars. The exercise tested aircraft systems, missile systems and the proficiency of the crews and maintenance personnel involved.

Ten squadrons from five different aircraft platforms, F/A-18C Hornet, F/A-18E and F/A-18F Super Hornet, EA-18G Growler, and the Cougars’ EA-6B Prowler, participated in the training. During the exercise, the aircraft involved fired multiple air-to-air missiles including AIM-120 AMRAAM, AIM-7 SPARROW, AIM-9M Sidewinder, SLAM-ER and JSOW.

In preparation for the exercise, the Cougars sent a maintenance team to Lemoore several days early. Cougar Aviation Ordnancemen worked with fellow “Ordies” from the base and other squadrons during safety training prior to the event.

They worked long and hard the night before the exercise to make sure everything was ready for the big day. Their efforts allowed the Cougars to fire the HARM in the allotted amount of time on the day of the shoot.

“It was a successful first det and HARM shoot for me,” said Aviation Ordnanceman Airman Anais Mendoza. “It would have been disappointing had they not gotten to shoot. It was exciting seeing that they did get to shoot the missile and watching the video of what it looks like.”

Lt. Mike Bartolf was in charge of the Cougars involved in the exercise.

“We owe our success today to the hard work of our maintainers,” said Bartolf. “They really put in the extra effort for us to pull this off.”