EA-18G Program: The USA's Electronic Growler

With the retirement of the US Air Force's long-range EF-111 Raven "Spark Vark," the aging EA-6B Prowlers are now the USA's sole remaining tactical aircraft type for radar jamming, communications jamming and information operations like signals interception. They have been used over Iraq for everything from disrupting enemy IED attacks by jamming all radio signals in an area to escorting strike aircraft against heavily defended targets during the opening days of the war. Beginning in 2009, however, a new electronic warfare aircraft is scheduled to appear on the scene.

The EA-18G Growler is based on Boeing's F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet multi-role fighter (which traces its history from the McDonnell Douglas F-18 and the Northrop YF-17) and has 90% commonality with it, just as its predecessor the EA-6B was based on Grumman's robust A-6 Intruder attack aircraft. At present, it is scheduled to be the only electronic warfare aircraft in the USA's future force - and since the USA is the only western country with such aircraft, the EA-18G would be the sole source of tactical jamming support for NATO air forces as a whole.

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