The Wizards of VAQ-133 recently sent a detachment to Naval Base Ventura County, Point Mugu, Calif. to participate in a High-speed Anti-Radiation Missile (HARM) Exercise with members of Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 1 and VAQ-134 Garudas.

The primary objectives of the exercise were to provide aircrew and maintenance training in live-fire HARM missile employment and for the aircrew to gain experience in air wing integration. VAQ-133 launched two aircraft for the exercise.

The primary Wizard aircraft shooting HARM consisted of “Falcon 42,” piloted by Lt. Cmdr. Troy Miller and crewed by Lt. Steve Kukla, Lt. Vanessa May Rigoroso and Lt. Cmdr. Manuel Biascoechea. “Falcon 43” piloted by Lt. Cmdr. Jacob Staub and crewed by Lt. Phil Addison, Lt. Jeffrey Alexander and Lt. Cmdr. Kalohi Clark acted as the backup shooter and range safety aircraft for the exercise.

In the early morning hours of July 21 the Wizards walked to their jets under a dreary overcast sky. Wizard maintenance at Point Mugu had the ordnance loaded and the jets ready to go.

The steely-eyed warriors then mounted their aircraft and took to the skies. Once airborne, the Wizards commenced their rendezvous with the other shooters and began the exercise.

After completing range clearance procedures, Falcon 42 took the lead and brought the flight in on the “hot” run. Two missiles away. On timeline and on target.

VAQ-133 successfully launched an ATM-88 HARM missile that impacted a target located on the Point Mugu test range. This live-fire exercise provided valuable training and experience to Wizard aircrew and their maintainers.