Northrop Grumman EA-6B Prowler

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northr..._EA-6B_Prowler

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The Northrop Grumman (formerly Grumman) EA-6B Prowler is a twin-engine,
four-seat, mid-wing electronic-warfare aircraft derived from the A-6 Intruder
airframe. The EA-6A was the initial electronic warfare version of the A-6 used
by the United States Marine Corps and United States Navy. Development on the
more advanced EA-6B began in 1966. An EA-6B aircrew consists of one pilot and
three Electronic Countermeasures Officers, though it is not uncommon for only
two ECMOs to be used on missions. It is capable of carrying and firing
anti-radiation missiles (ARMs), such as the AGM-88 HARM missile.

The Prowler has been in service with the U.S. Armed Forces since 1971. It has
carried out numerous missions for jamming enemy radar systems, and in gathering
radio intelligence on those and other enemy air defense systems. From the 1998
retirement of the United States Air Force EF-111 Raven electronic warfare
aircraft, the EA-6B was the only dedicated electronic warfare plane available
for missions by the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Marine Corps, and the U.S. Air Force
until the fielding of the Navy's EA-18G Growler in 2009. Following its last
deployment in late 2014, the EA-6B was withdrawn from U.S. Navy service in June
2015, followed by the USMC in November 2018.

The EA-6A "Electric Intruder" was developed for the U.S. Marine Corps during the
1960s to replace its EF-10B Skyknights. The EA-6A was a direct conversion of the
standard A-6 Intruder airframe, with two seats, equipped with electronic warfare
(EW) equipment. The EA-6A was used by three Marine Corps squadrons during the
Vietnam War. A total of 27 EA-6As were produced, with 15 of these being newly
manufactured ones. Most of these EA-6As were retired from service in the 1970s
with the last few being used by the Navy with two electronic attack "aggressor"
squadrons, with all examples finally retired in the 1990s. The EA-6A was
essentially an interim warplane until the more-advanced EA-6B could be designed
and built.

The substantially redesigned and more advanced EA-6B was developed beginning in
1966 as a replacement for EKA-3B Skywarriors for the U.S. Navy. The forward
fuselage was lengthened to create a rear area for a larger four-seat cockpit,
and an antenna fairing was added to the tip of its vertical stabilizer. Grumman
was awarded a $12.7 million contract to develop an EA-6B prototype on 14
November 1966. The Prowler first flew on 25 May 1968, and it entered service on
aircraft carriers in July 1971. Three prototype EA-6Bs were converted from
A-6As, and five EA-6Bs were developmental airplanes. A total of 170 EA-6B
production aircraft were manufactured from 1966 through 1991.

The EA-6B Prowler is powered by two Pratt & Whitney J52 turbojet engines, and it
is capable of high subsonic speeds. Due to its extensive electronic warfare
operations, and the aircraft's age (produced until 1991), the EA-6B is a
high-maintenance aircraft, and has undergone many frequent equipment upgrades.
Although designed as an electronic warfare and command-and-control aircraft for
air strike missions, the EA-6B is also capable of attacking some surface targets
on its own, in particular enemy radar sites and surface-to-air missile
launchers. In addition, the EA-6B is capable of gathering electronic signals
intelligence.

The EA-6B Prowler has been continually upgraded over the years. The first such
upgrade was named "expanded capability" (EXCAP) beginning in 1973. Then came
"improved capability" (ICAP) in 1976 and ICAP II in 1980. The ICAP II upgrade
provided the EA-6B with the capability of firing Shrike missiles and AGM-88 HARM
missiles.


Role
Electronic warfare/Attack aircraft

Manufacturer
Grumman
Northrop Grumman

First flight
25 May 1968

Introduction
July 1971

Retired
March 2019, U.S. Marine Corps

Status
Retired

Primary users
United States Navy (historical)
United States Marine Corps (historical)

Number built
170

Unit cost

US$52 million (c. 1998)
US$30 million (c.1981)
US$20 million (c. 1973)


Developed from
Grumman A-6 Intruder

The EA-6B entered service with Fleet Replacement Squadron VAQ-129 in September
1970, and Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 132 (VAQ-132) became the first
operational squadron, in July 1971. This squadron began its first combat
deployment to Vietnam on America 11 months later, soon followed by VAQ-131 on
Enterprise and VAQ-134 on Constellation. Two squadrons of EA-6B Prowlers flew
720 sorties during the Vietnam War in support of US Navy attack aircraft and
USAF B-52 bombers.

During the 1983 invasion of Grenada, four Prowlers supported the operation from
USS Independence (CV-62).

Following the Achille Lauro hijacking, on 10 October 1985 Prowlers from USS
Saratoga (CV-60) provided ESM support during the interception of the EgyptAir
737 carrying four of the hijackers.

Prowlers jammed Libyan radar during Operation El Dorado Canyon in April 1986.
Prowlers from USS Enterprise (CVN-65) jammed Iranian Ground Control Intercept
radars, surface-to-air missile guidance radars and communication systems during
Operation Praying Mantis on 18 April 1988.

A total of 39 EA-6B Prowlers were involved in Operation Desert Storm in 1991, 27
from six aircraft carriers and 12 from USMC bases. During 4,600 flight hours,
Prowlers fired over 150 HARM missiles. Navy Prowlers flew 1,132 sorties and USMC
flew 516 with no losses.

With the retirement of the EF-111 Raven in 1998, the EA-6B was the only
dedicated aerial radar jammer aircraft of the U.S. Armed Forces, until the
fielding of the Navy's EA-18G Growler in 2009. The EA-6B has been flown in
almost all American combat operations since 1972, and is frequently flown in
support of the U.S. Air Force missions.

In 2007, it was reported that the Prowler has been used in counter improvised
explosive device operations in the conflict in Afghanistan for several years by
jamming remote detonation devices such as garage door openers or cellular
telephones. Two Prowler squadrons were also based in Iraq, working with the same
mission. According to Chuck Pfarrer in his book SEAL Target Geronimo, an EA-6B
was also used to jam Pakistani radar and assist the 2 MH-60 Black Hawk stealth
helicopters and 2 Chinook helicopters raiding Osama Bin Laden's compound in
Operation Neptune Spear. The Department of Defense disputed certain aspects of
his book, though not specifically the mention of EA-6B involvement.

In April 2016, a squadron of EA-6B Prowlers from Marine Corps Tactical
Electronic Warfare Squadron 4 (VMAQ-4), based at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry
Point, North Carolina, was deployed to Incirlik Air Base, Turkey for operations
over Syria. U.S. European Command confirmed that the deployment was expected to
last through September 2016. The Center for Strategic and International Studies
suggested that the Prowlers may be used to prevent Russian and Syrian air
defense systems from tracking U.S. and coalition aircraft.

Prowlers of VMAQ-2 completed their last operational deployment in November 2018

Specifications (EA-6B)

General characteristics
Crew: four (one pilot, three electronic countermeasures officers)
Length: 59 ft 10 in (17.7 m)
Wingspan: 53 ft (15.9 m)
Height: 16 ft 8 in (4.9 m)
Wing area: 528.9 ft² (49.1 m²)
Empty weight: 31,160 lb (15,130 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 61,500 lb (27,900 kg)
Powerplant: 2 × Pratt & Whitney J52-P408A turbojet, 10,400 lbf (46 kN) each

Performance
Maximum speed: 566 knots (651 mph, 1,050 km/h)
Cruise speed: 418 kt (481 mph, 774 km/h)
Range: 2,022 mi (tanks kept) / 2,400 mi (tanks dropped) (3,254 km / 3,861 km)
Service ceiling: 37,600 ft (11,500 m)
Rate of climb: 12,900 ft/min (65 m/s)
Wing loading: 116 lb/ft² (560 kg/m²)
Thrust/weight: 0.34

Armament

Hardpoints: 5 total: 1× centerline/under-fuselage plus 4× under-wing pylon
stations with a capacity of 18,000 pounds (8,200 kg) and provisions to carry
combinations of: Missiles: Up to 4× AGM-88 HARM Anti-radiation missiles
(typically 2x carried)
Other:
Up to 5× 300 US gallons (1,100 L) external drop tanks
Up to 5× AN/ALQ-99 Tactical Jamming System (TJS) external pods
AN/ALE-43(V)1&4 Bulk Chaff Dispensing System pod
AN/AAQ-28(V) Litening targeting pod (USMC only)

Avionics

AN/ALQ-218 Tactical Jamming System Receiver
AN/USQ-113 Communications Jamming System




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