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2013-10-01

EA-18G GROWLER

The Growler is an advanced airborne electronic attack platform, providing electronic intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance data to other aircraft. It has been combat deployed since 2010 by U.S. and allied forces around the world.

The EA-18G Growler is a variant of the combat-proven F/A-18F Super Hornet Block II, and conducts airborne electronic attack missions. It combines the capability of the combat-proven Super Hornet with the latest Airborne Electronic Attack (AEA) avionics suite evolved from the Improved Capability III (ICAP III) system. The EA-18G’s vast array of sensors and weapons provides the warfighter with a lethal and survivable weapon system to counter current and emerging threats.

The EA-18G Growler is the U.S. Navy replacement for its current AEA aircraft, the EA-6B Prowler. The program of record for the Navy is 114 EA-18G Growler aircraft. The Growler provides critical electronic intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) data to other joint force aircraft. It brings fighter aircraft speed and maneuverability to an electronic attack aircraft. The Growler is capable of protecting itself against adversarial aircraft using its AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles and is best suited to provide advanced survivability and electronic protection for ground, air and maritime combat forces.

Design

One of the most noticeable external visual characteristics of the EA-18G Growler aircraft is that the wingtip air-to-air missiles on the F/A-18 Super Hornet are normally replaced by wideband receiver pods on the EA-18 Growler and the other hardpoints carry a mix of electronic warfare pods and weapons.

The aircraft construction includes a light alloy multispar wing and high-strength graphite and epoxy panels and doors. Northrop Grumman manufactures the rear and centre fuselage sections and EADS CASA is responsible for the manufacture of structural components such as the fuselage rear side panels, horizontal tail surfaces, flaps, the leading edge extensions, the rudders and the speed brakes.

The aircraft has retractable tricycle-type landing gear. The main landing gear is single wheeled and turns through 90° to retract rearward into the wheel bays mounted in the engine air ducts. The aircraft has a twin-wheel nose gear. The nose of the aircraft is fitted with a catapult launch tow bar. An arrester hook is installed under the rear section of the fuselage.

Engine

The Growler is powered by two F414-GE-400 afterburning turbofan engines, supplied by General Electric. A titanium engine firewall is incorporated into the aircraft structure. The engines are rated to supply 62kN or 98kN with afterburn.

Industry Team

The Growler is built by the world’s premier and most experienced electronic attack aircraft team. The team of Boeing, Northrop Grumman, General Electric, Raytheon and 1,400 suppliers continues to add capabilities, improve design, deliver on schedule and drive down costs to ensure the Growler is capable, affordable and available.

Programme and Development

Boeing and the U.S. Navy signed a five-year System Development and Demonstration (SDD ) contract on Dec. 29, 2003. Northrop Grumman is the major supplier to Boeing for the AEA subsystem. The SDD contract encompassed all laboratory, ground and flight tests from component level testing through full-up EA-18G weapons system performance flight testing.

Assembly of the first EA-18G flight test aircraft began in October 2004, and the first flight test aircraft moved into modification in late April 2005, ahead of schedule. The first production aircraft made its first flight on Sept. 10, 2007, and was delivered to the U.S. Navy on Sept. 24, 2007, almost one month ahead of schedule. The first production aircraft was delivered to Fleet Readiness Squadron VAQ-129 at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Wash., on June 3, 2008, and the aircraft began its initial sea trials in August 2008. The Growler completed initial sea trials onboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower in August 2008, Initial Operational Test and Evaluation in May 2009 and achieved initial operational capability in September 2009. The Department of Defense authorized the EA-18G to enter into Full Rate Production in November 2009. The EA-18G’s initial combat deployment occurred in late 2010 and concluded in mid-2011, supporting operations in Iraq and Libya.

Electronic Warfare Dominance

The EA-18G integrates advanced airborne electronic attack capabilities, developed and manufactured by Northrop Grumman, with the advanced strike capabilities, including advanced weapons, sensors and communications systems, installed on the F/A-18 Super Hornet aircraft.

The block 1 Growler is fitted with up to three AN/ALQ-99 radar jamming pods, together with an AN/ALQ-218(V)2 receiver and a Raytheon AN/ALQ-227 communications countermeasures system both of which are mounted in the bay previously designated as the F/A-18 Hornet aircraft’s gun bay.

The AN/ALQ-99 jammer fitted on the block 1 Growler is supplied by the EDO Corporation. The AN/ALQ-99 receivers are installed in the tail of the aircraft and the AN/ALQ-99 pod houses the exciters and the high radiated power jamming transmitters.

“The Growler aircraft has 11 weapon stations for carrying electronic mission systems and weapons.”

The block 2 Growler is equipped with the APG-79 multi-mode radar with passive detection mode and active radar suppression, ALQ-218(V)2 digital radar warning receiver and ALE-47 countermeasures dispenser.

The advanced tactical radar, the APG-79 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar provides air-to-air and air-to-ground capability with detection, targeting, tracking and protection modes.

The interleaved radar modes include real beam-mapping mode and synthetic aperture radar mode with air-to-air search, air-to-air tracking, sea surface search and ground moving target indication and tracking. The radar has an advanced four-channel receiver-exciter which provides wide bandwidth capability and the ability to generate a wide range of waveforms for electronic warfare, air-to-air and air-to-ground operation. It also has the ability to operate in multiple air-to-air and air-to-ground modes simultaneously.

Sensor System Upgrades

The U.S. Navy recently flew EA-18G Growler with sensor system upgrades and its newest data network, demonstrating how the enhanced technologies would allow aircrews to locate threats more quickly and accurately.

Ultimately, the secure, high-speed network will allow aircrews to share targeting data in real time. The technology will be incorporated into deployed Growler electronic attack aircraft in 2018, sooner than all Navy aircraft other than the E-2D Hawkeye surveillance airplane.

These enhancements provide a significantly faster, more accurate and adaptable targeting solution. The result is a more capable EA-18G that is better able to control the electronic attack spectrum.

The upgrades are planned to be retrofitted into existing Growlers and included as a standard offering for future new aircraft sales. Boeing will work closely with supplier partners Northrop Grumman, Harris Corporation, L-3 Communications and Rockwell Collins to add system upgrades to the fleet.

EA-18G Capabilities

Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses: The EA-18G will counter enemy air defenses using both reactive and pre-emptive jamming techniques.

Stand-off and Escort Jamming: The EA-18G will be highly effective in the traditional stand-off jamming mission, but with the speed and agility of a Super Hornet, it will also be effective in the escort role.

Non-Traditional Electronic Attack: Dramatically enhanced situational awareness and uninterrupted communications will enable the EA-18G to achieve a higher degree of integration with ground operations than has been previously achievable.

Self-protect and Time-Critical Strike Support: With its Advanced Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, digital data links and air-to-air missiles, the EA-18G will have self-protection capability and will also be effective for target identification and prosecution.

Growth: High commonality with the F/A-18E/F, nine available weapon stations and modern avionics enable cost-effective synergistic growth for both aircraft, setting the stage for continuous capability enhancement.

Airborne Electronic Attack (AEA) Capabilities

Full Spectrum: The EA-18G’s ALQ-218 wideband receiver combined with the ALQ-99 Tactical Jamming System will be effective against any radar-guided surface-to-air threat.

Precision Airborne Electronic Attack: Selective-reactive technology enables the EA-18G to rapidly sense and locate threats with a significantly higher degree of accuracy than was previously possible. This improved accuracy enables greater concentration of energy against threats.

Advanced Communication Countermeasures: Its modular ALQ-227 Communication Countermeasure Set enables the EA-18G to counter a wide range of communication systems and is readily adaptable to an ever-changing threat spectrum.

Interference Cancellation System (INCANS): INCANS dramatically enhances aircrew situational awareness by enabling uninterrupted communications during jamming operations.

Technical Specification:

Length: 18.3 m

Height: 4.9 m

Wing Span: 13.7 m

Weight Empty: 15,011.2 kg

Recovery Weight: 21,772.4 kg

Internal Fuel: 6,323.1 kg

Max External Fuel: 4,419.8 kg

Engines (2) F414-GE-400

Crew One Pilot, one Weapon Systems Officer

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