PACIFIC MISSILE TEST CENTER

POINT MUGU, CA 93042 - 5000

FOR IMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                    RELEASE #166—87

2 1 SEPT 1987

    Soviet red stars have been spreading like wildfire at Point Mugu.

 

    Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron Thirty Four (VAQ-34) the Navy’s west coast aggressor squadron has received permission to totally redefine its image.

 

    As an aggressor squadron - one of only two in the Navy with the specific mission of utilizing electronic warfare tactics in training exercises VAQ-34 plays the role of hostile forces in training other Navy units.

 

    To more accurately reflect that role, the squadron is changing its aircraft tail design from two lightning bolts to the most recognizable potentially hostile forces logo - that of a red star trimmed with a white border.

 

    At first the idea was just to change the tail design,’’ said CDR. Rex Kibler (Camarillo), Commanding Officer of the squadron. ‘‘Then we decided to go ahead and change the whole nine yards."

 

    The ‘whole line yards" consisted of changing the units logo, which adorns the squadrons hanger and appears on doors throughout the buildings. It is also used on memorabilia such as patches, t-shirts, nametags and stickers

 

    The squadrons logo had been based on the Greek mythological character Dellerophon. who triumphantly rode Pegasus into battle. The logo was Pegasus and a lightning bolt on a field of orange, the color signifying enemy forces in war games. 

 

The new logo, designed by Airman lreneo Espiritu (Oxnard) centers on the white - trimmed star on a field of red, white, and blue. The streamers stars Are those of the United States, and the red and white Stripes at the bottom signify the stripes of the U.S. flag.

 

    The Russian words at the top of the logo translate to EW Aggressor,

the role of electronic warfare aggressor that the squadron plays in training. The missile represents an aggressor being acted upon by electronic warfare, the lightning bolts of VAQ-34.

 

    "Although we chose the red star because of its obvious recognizability", Kibler said, "It really signifies hostile forces in general."

 

    "The troops are really pumped up about the change", he continued.

"I think they can identify more closely with the mission we do when they see an aircraft rolling down the runway with Soviet markings."

 

    And that says nothing about the feelings of the ‘‘good guys" who will be seeing that Red Star during training exercises!