Final Aries II retired

The US Navy retired its last EP-3E electronic intelligence aircraft during a ceremony at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island Washington, on February 12, 2025, marking the end of the type’s 45-year career.

The Airborne Reconnaissance Integrated Electronic System (ARIES) first entered service in 1970. Assigned to Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron One (VQ-1), BuNo 159893 was the final ARIES II assigned to the ‘World Watchers’ and it departed the base one day later. The EP-3E carried out its final mission in the US 5th Fleet’s Area of Responsibility on October 29, 2024, and returned to NAS Whidbey Island on November 6.

VQ-1 EP-3E Flying — EP-3E BuNo 159893 makes its final approach to land at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona, on February 13, 2025. Its arrival at the Tucson base brought the ARIES II’s naval career to a close. The aircraft joins 13 EP-3Es already in storage with the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group. Ned Harris

The manned airborne signals intelligence mission that had been assigned to the EP-3E is being taken over by the MQ-4C Triton high-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicles operated by Unmanned Patrol Squadron Nineteen (VUP-19). The US Navy operated 27 EP-3Es including 17 P-3Cs that were converted to EP-3E ARIES II configuration. VQ-1’s final aircraft, P-3C BuNo 161588, used both as a trainer and a support aircraft, was retired at Whidbey Island on February 20 and the squadron will formally be deactivated on March 31.