JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Following a six-month deployment in Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan, aviators and Sailor from Patrol Squadron (VP) 26 returned home to Naval Air Station Jacksonville on Sunday.
The ‘Tridents’ of VP-26's deployment was to support the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility where they conducted a wide variety of airborne anti-submarine, anti-surface warfare, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, maritime domain awareness, and search and rescue missions, according to an NAS Jax news release.
While deployed, the Tridents flew over 500 sorties in support of maritime patrol operations, tracking multiple adversary submarines and providing critical direct support to the USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Carl Vinson Strike Groups, the news release states.
Read more below from NAS Jax:
VP-26 continued to advance crucial theater security cooperation initiatives, supporting over 30 exercises throughout the region and strengthening U.S. relations with its partners and allies. Of note, VP-26 provided humanitarian assistance to the Federated States of Micronesia, conducting successful search and rescue operations for six missing mariners and launching a search and rescue kit to ensure their safety while vectoring in nearby vessels for rescue.
Throughout the six-month deployment, the Tridents carried out detachment operations to numerous countries and territories including the Republic of Korea, Guam, Malaysia, Australia, Singapore, and the Philippines.
“I could not be more proud of the work Team Trident has accomplished this deployment,” VP-26 Commanding Officer Cmdr. Garett Houston said. “From our combat support personnel who ensured our squadron was operating efficiently on the ground, to our maintenance team whose dedication and skill kept our aircraft ready to fly, to our aircrews whose proficiency and expertise resulted in on-station success every mission, Team Trident demonstrated the professionalism and excellence expected from all maritime patrol squadrons. It’s exciting to reunite with our family and friends; their unwavering support and sacrifice enabled our team to remain focused on the mission and have a successful deployment.”