Naval aviation
What is a carrier air wing?
What a Navy carrier air wing is, which squadrons two 2026 air wings contained, how many air wings the law and the Navy call for, who commands them, and where the VAW squadron fits.
Oct 21, 20264 min read8 sources
Why it matters
The Navy calls the air wing's striking power the cornerstone of carrier power projection, and the Chief of Naval Operations told Congress in May 2026 that a full air wing has more than 70 aircraft.
The short version
- 1A 2026 air wing combined strike fighter, electronic attack, airborne command and control, two helicopter, and fleet logistics squadrons, and one included a Marine squadron.
- 2Title 10, as codified in 2024, required 10 air wings from October 1, 2025 at the latest; a 2023 amendment sets 9, one year after a required Navy report.
- 3In April 2024 the Navy told Congress that nine air wings pair with nine operational carriers out of 11.
A carrier air wing (CVW) is the group of squadrons that embarks on a Navy aircraft carrier and flies its aircraft. The Chief of Naval Operations' May 12, 2026 posture statement describes an entire air wing as more than 70 aircraft with their support crews. The statement adds that every Navy air wing trains at the Fallon Range Training Complex in Nevada before deploying. The minimum number of air wings is set in law, in 10 U.S.C. 8062. That number has been in motion since 2023, so any figure needs a date.
The squadrons in a 2026 air wing
Two 2026 Navy releases list their wings' squadrons. Carrier Air Wing 8 returned to its home stations on May 11, 2026, after 322 days deployed on USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78). Carrier Air Wing 9 ended a 10-month deployment on USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) on October 8, 2026.
| Squadron type | CVW-8 (May 2026) | CVW-9 (October 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Strike Fighter (VFA) | VFA-31, VFA-37, VFA-87 (F/A-18E); VFA-213 (F/A-18F) | VFA-14, VFA-41, VFA-151 (F/A-18E/F) |
| Marine Fighter Attack (VMFA) | None listed | VMFA-314 |
| Electronic Attack (VAQ) | VAQ-142 | VAQ-133 |
| Airborne Command and Control (VAW) | VAW-124 (E-2D) | VAW-117 |
| Helicopter Maritime Strike (HSM) | HSM-70 (MH-60R) | HSM-71 |
| Helicopter Sea Combat (HSC) | HSC-9 (MH-60S) | HSC-14 |
| Fleet logistics | VRC-40 (C-2A) | VRM-30 |
The CVW-9 release calls the wing nine squadrons and names the F-35C, Super Hornet, and EA-18G Growler among its aircraft. The two wings differ in two ways: CVW-9 carried a Marine Corps squadron, and its logistics unit was a Fleet Logistics Multi-Mission Squadron (VRM), not a Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VRC).
An April 2024 release says the CMV-22B Osprey will replace the C-2A Greyhounds of VRC-40 over several years. VRM-40 was established in March 2022 beside its existing sister squadron, VRM-30, and its executive officer gave the mission as delivering high-priority people and parts to carrier strike groups at sea.
How many air wings, by law and by plan
Section 8062(b) requires not less than 11 operational aircraft carriers. Section 8062(e), as codified in the 2024 edition, requires at least 9 carrier air wings until the earlier of two dates: when more deployable carriers can fully support a 10th wing, or October 1, 2025. After that, the minimum is 10. Each wing must have a dedicated, fully staffed headquarters.
An amendment note shows the rule changing. Public Law 118-31, enacted December 22, 2023, rewrites subsection (e) to a flat minimum of 9 air wings. The new text takes effect one year after the Secretary of the Navy submits a report that the law requires.
The Navy explained its side in April 2024 testimony. The testimony says the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) granted relief from standing up a 10th air wing by October 1, 2025, pending that report, which analyzes approaches to manning, operating, and deploying a 10th wing. The report was then scheduled for the end of the fiscal year. The carrier maintenance schedule paired nine air wings with nine operational carriers, out of 11, with two in planned service-life maintenance. The Navy called nine the optimal number. The sources here do not say when the report was submitted.
Who commands an air wing
Each air wing has its own commander. The CVW-9 release names a Navy captain as commander and another as deputy commander. The NAMP, COMNAVAIRFORINST 4790.2E, lists air wing commanders as operational commanders, responsible for the operational readiness of squadrons in training and on deployment. They coordinate pre-deployment planning and consolidate squadron material needs. They also line up support from the ship's supply, intermediate maintenance, and air departments.
The wing sits inside a carrier strike group. The Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group combined the carrier, the embarked staffs of Carrier Strike Group 3 and Destroyer Squadron 21, CVW-9, and destroyers. On the East Coast, Naval Air Force Atlantic reported in April 2024 that it was responsible for seven carriers, 55 aircraft squadrons, and 1,200 aircraft.
Where the VAW fits
The VAW is the wing's airborne command and control squadron, flying the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye, as the CVW-8 roster shows for VAW-124. The April 2024 testimony says E-2Ds bring an advanced airborne radar, networking, and aerial refueling, replacing the E-2C. The same testimony's near-term plan for the Air Wing of the Future completes the transition to the E-2D and continues the transition to the CMV-22.
A VAW-117 release of October 14, 2026 shows one squadron's deployment. Based at Naval Base Ventura County Point Mugu, the squadron deployed November 21, 2025 with CVW-9, provided airborne command and control, and flew more than 2,939 hours with 745 carrier-arrested landings. The same release opens with the name Airborne Command and Control Squadron, then lists the unit as Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 117 in its closing roster.
What to check
- Which air wing, and on what date, does a roster describe? CVW-8 in May 2026 and CVW-9 in October 2026 differ.
- Does a count of air wings rest on 10 U.S.C. 8062(e) as codified, the Public Law 118-31 text, or Navy testimony?
- Is the logistics squadron a VRC flying the C-2A or a VRM flying the CMV-22B?
- Does the wing include a Marine Corps squadron, as CVW-9 did?
- Does the source call the VAW airborne command and control or early warning?
Azcuna's ELLMENT, the E-2D Large Language Model Entity, was proposed to NAVAIR PMA-231 under Navy SBIR Phase I topic DON26BZ01-NV010. The prototype, built at private expense on publicly available doctrine, answers with a page-level citation and refuses when the documents do not support an answer. The proposal has been submitted.
Sources
- 1United States Code, 2024 Edition, Title 10, Section 8062 - United States Navy: composition; functions · U.S. Government Publishing Office
- 2Statement on Department of the Navy Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Request for Tactical Aviation · House Armed Services Committee, Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee, April 16, 2024
- 3Statement of Admiral Daryl L. Caudle, Chief of Naval Operations, on the Posture of the United States Navy · House Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on Defense, May 12, 2026
- 4Carrier Air Wing 9 completes 10-month combat deployment · Carrier Strike Group Three, via DVIDS, October 9, 2026
- 5Carrier Air Wing 8 Returns from Historic 11-Month Deployment · Commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic, via DVIDS, May 13, 2026
- 6Airborne Command & Control Squadron (VAW) 117 returns from deployment · Carrier Strike Group Three, via DVIDS, October 14, 2026
- 7First East Coast-Assigned Navy CMV-22B Osprey Arrives to Norfolk · Commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic, via DVIDS, April 5, 2024
- 8The Naval Aviation Maintenance Program (NAMP), COMNAVAIRFORINST 4790.2E, 28 Oct 2024 · Commander, Naval Air Forces, posted by Naval Air Systems Command
Where this shows up in our work
- ELLMENT, the offline LLM for E-2D crews answers a crew's question from the aircraft's own manuals and cites the page, with no network.
- TRACE, the offline S1000D and IETM viewer opens S1000D, MIL-STD-3001 and PDF technical manuals on a tablet with every marking intact.