2008 Woodie Awards
Navy receives second EA-18G
Brian Asbury
Issue date: 12/5/06 Section: Aeronautica
- Page 1 of 1
On Wednesday, Boeing delivered the second EA-18G Growler to the U.S. Navy test facility at Naval Air Station (NAS) Patuxent River, Md.
The EA-18G is 99 percent F/A-18 Hornet, with a serious electronic upgrade. Known as the EA-2, it is an Airborne Electronic Attack (AEA) aircraft. The EA-2 is the second aircraft to be delivered to the Navy's testing site, making its initial flight in St. Louis on Nov. 10. The first, EA-1, was delivered in September and is undergoing electromagnetic testing in an anechoic chamber at NAS Patuxent. The EA-2 made the flight from Lambart Field, St. Louis to NAS Patuxent River with U.S. Navy Pilot Cmdr. Jack Walters and weapons system operator Lt. Cmdr. Jonathon Williams Wednesday, ahead of schedule. The $9.6 billion contract the Navy was signed with Boeing on Dec. 29, 2003.
"Delivering this aircraft sets the stage for our aggressive flight test program," said Kevin Fogarty, Boeing's EA-18G chief, in a Boeing press release, "We are delivering new capability ahead of schedule, and we look forward to the next step in flight test, where we can prove the advanced concepts and technologies the Growler brings to the AEA community and the Navy."
The EA-18G is going into production in 2008 to replace the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps EA-6B which have been in service since 1971. The Navy has ordered 57 at $66 million each (relatively inexpensive compared to the $120 million price tag of the F-22) and expects the EA-18G to become operational in 2009.
The EA-18G can be fitted with up to five ALQ-99 Tactical Jamming System (TJS) pods, and will typically add two AIM-120 self-defense missiles along with two AGM-88 High Speed Anti-Radiation (HARM) missiles, allowing the EA-18G to be both electronically superior as well having the firepower brawn. The EA-18G will also allow for voice communication using the INCANS Interference Cancellation system, which was not possible with the EA-6B. This will allow the Growler to perform electronic surveillance as well as attacks on enemy radar and communications facilities. The Growler will be stealthy not by angular design, but simply by overwhelming enemy radar and jamming it. The EA-18G will be flexible in that it will be able to operate from both aircraft carrier decks as well as land fields.
The EA-18G is 99 percent F/A-18 Hornet, with a serious electronic upgrade. Known as the EA-2, it is an Airborne Electronic Attack (AEA) aircraft. The EA-2 is the second aircraft to be delivered to the Navy's testing site, making its initial flight in St. Louis on Nov. 10. The first, EA-1, was delivered in September and is undergoing electromagnetic testing in an anechoic chamber at NAS Patuxent. The EA-2 made the flight from Lambart Field, St. Louis to NAS Patuxent River with U.S. Navy Pilot Cmdr. Jack Walters and weapons system operator Lt. Cmdr. Jonathon Williams Wednesday, ahead of schedule. The $9.6 billion contract the Navy was signed with Boeing on Dec. 29, 2003.
"Delivering this aircraft sets the stage for our aggressive flight test program," said Kevin Fogarty, Boeing's EA-18G chief, in a Boeing press release, "We are delivering new capability ahead of schedule, and we look forward to the next step in flight test, where we can prove the advanced concepts and technologies the Growler brings to the AEA community and the Navy."
The EA-18G is going into production in 2008 to replace the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps EA-6B which have been in service since 1971. The Navy has ordered 57 at $66 million each (relatively inexpensive compared to the $120 million price tag of the F-22) and expects the EA-18G to become operational in 2009.
The EA-18G can be fitted with up to five ALQ-99 Tactical Jamming System (TJS) pods, and will typically add two AIM-120 self-defense missiles along with two AGM-88 High Speed Anti-Radiation (HARM) missiles, allowing the EA-18G to be both electronically superior as well having the firepower brawn. The EA-18G will also allow for voice communication using the INCANS Interference Cancellation system, which was not possible with the EA-6B. This will allow the Growler to perform electronic surveillance as well as attacks on enemy radar and communications facilities. The Growler will be stealthy not by angular design, but simply by overwhelming enemy radar and jamming it. The EA-18G will be flexible in that it will be able to operate from both aircraft carrier decks as well as land fields.
Be the first to comment on this story