A U.S. Navy Commander responsible for the Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 9 attached to the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis recently completed completed his 1,000th career carrier-arrested landing, or trap, aboard the carrier.
Capt. Rich “Snap” Brophy flew a F/A-18E Super Hornet assigned to the “Tophatters” of Strike Fighter Squadron 14 to achieve this milestone on May 11.
To Capt. Rich “Snap” Brophy, of Carmel, California, becoming a part of the “Grand Club” is a great accomplishment, representative of a long career spent flying aircraft of multiple different platforms, he said.
Brophy has amassed over 3,900 flight hours in a career spanning 24 years. He began his career with Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 105 flying off USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71). He has flown in numerous operations throughout his career including Southern Watch, Allied Forge, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation Enduring Freedom.
He was commanding officer of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 115, and Brophy assumed command of CVW-9 January 2015.
CVW-9 is currently embarked aboard John C. Stennis on patrol in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations providing a ready force supporting security and stability in the Indo-Asia-Pacific.
CVW 9 consists of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 71, Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 14, Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 112, Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 133 and Strike Fighter Squadrons (VFA) 151, 97, 41 and 14.