386

UNITED STATES NAVAL AVIATION 1910-1995

1993-Contin ued

An SH-60B flies past Rushmore (LSD 47) off the coast of Somalia en

route to Tripoli.

Marines prepared to embark a waiting CH-46E helo on Tripoli dur-

ing early hours of Operation Restore Hope.

12 April NATO officials in conjunction with the UN

began the enforcement of a "no-fly zone" over Bosnia-

Herzegovina, known as Operation Deny Flight. NATO

had proposed the "no-fly zone" to the UN Security

Council, who passed Resolution 802. Twelve F/A-18

Hornet strike-fighter aircraft from CVW-8 embarked on

Theodore Roosevelt were transferred to NATO in sup-

port of the operation. Other aircraft and ships from

Theodore Roosevelt's battle group provided support.

The Mediterranean ARG emarked on Saipan provided

SAR/TRAP duties.

22 April A VAQ-209 Starwarriors' EA-6B fired the first

successful over-the-horizon HARM Missile using target-

ing data from space delivered directly to the cockpit.

26 April VC-6 carried out the first launch of a Pioneer

UAV from an amphibious vessel, Denver (LPD 9). VC-6

Det 2, NAS Patuxent River, Md., made the launch.

28 April Secretary of Defense Les Aspin lifted the

ban on combat flights for women and opened up ad-

ditional ships to women. Secretary Aspin further stated

that he would forward a draft proposal to Congress,

which would remove the last legislative barrier to the

assignment of women to combat vessels. The CNO,

Admiral Frank B. Kelso II, concurred.

29 April Following the Secretary of Defence's deci-

sion to expand combat roles for women, CNO Admiral

Frank B. Kelso II, opened six enlisted Naval Aviation

ratings to women: Aviation Antisubmarine Warfare

Operator (AW), Electronic Warfare Technician (EW),

Fire Controlman (FC), Gas Turbine Technician (GS),

Gas Turbine Technician-Electrical (GSE), and Gas

Turbine Technical-Mechanical (GSM).

A Unmanned Aerial

Vehicle aboard Essex for

testing.

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J