No Call 12/21 Sunday But... Some News & A Rewind

Sharing some military avgeek news in the interim and looking back at 2025

Author

Joe K.
December 21, 2025

Joe here, those of us on the December 7 call decided not to have a call for December 21. Which I’m grateful for now as I have to prepare responses to some awesome military aviation geek news that’s been slowly breaking but for those who pay attention - mostly unsurprising. Which is that the US Navy has decided to recommit to keeping the VAQ Wing of Boeing EA-18G Growlers at NAS Whidbey Island:

VAQ-140 Patriots’ Boeing EA-18G Growler Smoking Up OLF Coupeville on Whidbey - My photo

Everyone can read the fine print here on Scribd. The Navy reaffirmed their fundamental belief that - and to me, this is the key part:

The NAS Whidbey Island complex already has the facilities, equipment, and logistical support necessary to ensure the operational readiness of the augmented EA-18G “Growler” fleet, including essential EA- 18G “Growler”-specific infrastructure, all supported by previous NEPA analyses. The complex also has substantial existing support infrastructure, including housing, medical services, and quality-of-life resources. No other location can currently provide immediate and complete support to an augment of additional EA-18G “Growler” aircraft. Given the high demand for AEA capabilities, and the risk to the mission and to service members if additional EA-18G “Growler” aircraft are not expeditiously made available to Combatant Commanders, relocation options that would involve considerable infrastructure investment are not reasonable.

The ultimate price tag and dependence on congressional or other agency action do not, in themselves, make alternative locations unreasonable, but these considerations, along with manpower requirements, construction and long-term maintenance requirements for new facilities, and—most importantly here— the time required for all facilities and personnel to be mission ready, drive Navy policy toward sustainability through continued investment in and efficient use of existing infrastructure, policy that necessarily informs Navy decision-making.

US Navy, Page 81 of NAS Whidbey Island Complex EA-18G “Growler” Final Amended Analysis

Of course, the fact that the community turned out - mostly in support this time - only helped the situation. According to a Navy court filing, “Approximately 90 people attended the public meeting in Oak Harbor, 60 people attended the public meeting in Coupeville, and 50 people attended the virtual public meeting.” Yes, “Decisions are made by those who show up”.

Considering that there is a new Navy Fleet Forces EIS study kicking off over… changing seven F/A-18E/F squadrons to F-35Cs. Either this will happen at NAS Oceana with controversial NALF Fentress in Virginia or NAS Lemoore in central California… important to stress public input matters.

My photo of a F-35C

But that’s not all folks. I feel everyone deserves a few stories from the past couple of weeks of great import:

Also Beehiv gave me a year-end review of this newsletter. Figured I should share with you the basic statistics from 23 posts so far:

2025 Beehiv Rewind

Thanks to all of you for participating and your support! May 2026 be a good year!