The EA-18G Growler is an airborne electronic attack (AEA) aircraft that operates from either an aircraft carrier or from land-bases. The Growler has been developed as a replacement for the US Navy EA-6B Prowler aircraft which entered service in 1971 and is approaching end of operational life.
The Growler is a derivative of the combat-proven two-seat F/A-18 Hornet, the US Navy's maritime strike aircraft. The aircraft missions are mainly electronic attack (EA) and suppression of enemy air defences (SEAD), significantly at the beginning and on-going early stages of hostilities.
The EA-18 can perform full-spectrum electronic surveillance and electronic attack of enemy threat radars and communications nets. The EA-18 leverages the U.S. Navy's investment in the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet platform. A derivative of the two-seat F/A-18F Super Hornet - a platform that is in production these days - the EA-18 is a highly flexible design that allows the warfighter to perform a broad range of tactical missions, operating from either the deck of an aircraft carrier or land-based fields.
The EA-18G's electronic attack upgrades will meet EA-6B (ALQ-218, ALQ-99, USQ-113) Airborne Electronic Attack (AEA) capability to detect, identify, find and suppress hostile emitters; offer enhanced connectivity to National, Theater and Strike assets; and provide organic precision emitter targeting for employment of onboard suppression weapons High-speed Anti-Radiation Missile (HARM) to satisfy operational requirement.
The Growler is a derivative of the combat-proven two-seat F/A-18 Hornet, the US Navy's maritime strike aircraft. The aircraft missions are mainly electronic attack (EA) and suppression of enemy air defences (SEAD), significantly at the beginning and on-going early stages of hostilities.
The EA-18 can perform full-spectrum electronic surveillance and electronic attack of enemy threat radars and communications nets. The EA-18 leverages the U.S. Navy's investment in the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet platform. A derivative of the two-seat F/A-18F Super Hornet - a platform that is in production these days - the EA-18 is a highly flexible design that allows the warfighter to perform a broad range of tactical missions, operating from either the deck of an aircraft carrier or land-based fields.
The EA-18G's electronic attack upgrades will meet EA-6B (ALQ-218, ALQ-99, USQ-113) Airborne Electronic Attack (AEA) capability to detect, identify, find and suppress hostile emitters; offer enhanced connectivity to National, Theater and Strike assets; and provide organic precision emitter targeting for employment of onboard suppression weapons High-speed Anti-Radiation Missile (HARM) to satisfy operational requirement.
