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Caption:
Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Wash. (May 18, 2004) -- Two EA-6B
Prowlers assigned to the "Cougars" of Electronic Attack Squadron One
Three Nine (VAQ-139) fly in formation near Washington states Mount
Rainier during a routine training mission. VAQ-139 is homeported at
Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Wash. and will soon be deploying to
support Operation Iraqi Freedom. The EA-6B's primary mission is to
protect fleet surface units and other aircraft by jamming hostile
radars and communications. With its jamming capabilities together with
AGM-88 High-Speed Anti-Radiation Missiles (HARM), the Prowler a unique
national asset that can be deployed from land bases and aircraft
carriers. Its ability to monitor the electromagnetic spectrum and
actively deny an adversary's use of radar and communications is
unmatched by any airborne platform worldwide. At 14,410 feet, Mount
Rainier is the most prominent peak in the Cascade Range. It dominates
the landscape of a large part of western Washington State. The mountain
stands nearly three miles higher than the lowlands to the west and one
and one-half miles higher than the adjacent mountains. It is an active
volcano that last erupted approximately 150 years ago. U.S. Navy
photo by Photographer's Mate 2nd Class Michael Watkins (RELEASED)
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