Grumman EA-6B Prowler

The Northrop Grumman (formerly Grumman) EA-6B Prowler is a twin-engined, four-seat, mid-wing electronic-warfare aircraft. Operated by both the United States Marine Corps and United States Navy between 1971 and 2019, it was derived from the A-6 Intruder airframe.

The aircraft's immediate predecessor, the EA-6A, was an interim conversion of the A-6 airframe to perform electronic warfare missions during the 1960s. In 1966, work on the more advanced EA-6B commenced. It featured an enlarged, four-seat cockpit, a fully integrated electronic-warfare system, and advanced electronic countermeasures. Furthermore, it was suitable for long-range, all-weather, carrier-based operations in addition to land-based uses. Typically, the aircrew of an EA-6B consisted of a single pilot and three electronic countermeasures officers, though having only two ECMOs on missions was not uncommon. It was capable of firing anti-radiation missiles (ARMs), such as the AGM-88 HARM. major programs included the Advanced Capability EA-6B and the Improved Capability (ICAP) II schemes. The type's final overseas deployment occurred in late 2014; the EA-6B was withdrawn from U.S. Navy service in June 2015, while the U.S. Marine Corps retired its last aircraft in March 2019. It has been effectively succeeded by the EA-18G Growler, an electronic-warfare derivative of the F/A-18F Super Hornet.

Development

Origins

By the 1960s, the United States Marine Corps (USMC) was operating several aging electronic countermeasure (ECM) platforms, including the EF-10B Skyknight and AD Skyraider. The service sought to procure more modern platforms; this desire led to the development of the EA-6A "Electric Intruder". The EA-6A was a direct conversion of the standard Grumman A-6 Intruder airframe, equipped with a twin-seat cockpit along with assorted electronic-warfare (EW) equipment. During December 1965, the EA-6A entered squadron service with the USMC; shortly thereafter, it saw action in Operation Rolling Thunder during the Vietnam War. The majority of these EA-6As were retired from service in the 1970s; the final handful of aircraft were operated by two electronic-attack "aggressor" squadrons of the United States Navy (USN). These last examples were finally retired during the 1990s. The EA-6A was essentially an interim warplane until the more-advanced EA-6B could be designed and built.

thumb|left|The two-seat EA-6A (top) was followed by the four-seat EA-6B Prowler (bottom)

During 1966, development of the EA-6B, a substantially redesigned and more advanced model, commenced as a replacement for the EKA-3B Skywarriors then being operated by the USN. The redesign included the lengthening of the forward fuselage to create a rear area that accommodated a larger four-seat cockpit, while an antenna fairing was added to the tip of the vertical stabilizer. On 14 November 1966, Grumman was awarded a $12.7 million contract to develop an EA-6B prototype. On 25 May 1968, the EA-6B performed its maiden flight; it entered regular service on aircraft carriers during July 1971. Three prototype EA-6Bs were converted from A-6As, and five EA-6Bs were developmental airplanes. Between 1966 and 1991, 170 EA-6B production aircraft were manufactured.

Improved Capability (ICAP) III

Northrop Grumman received contracts from the USN to deliver new electronic countermeasures gear to Prowler squadrons; the heart of each ICAP III set consists of the ALQ-218 receiver and new software that provides more precise selective-reactive radar jamming and deception and threat location. The ICAP III sets also are equipped with the multifunction information distribution system , which includes the Link 16 data-link system. Northrop delivered two lots and delivered two more beginning in 2010. The EA-6B Prowlers in service toward the end of their service lives were the ICAP III version, carrying the ALQ-99 tactical jamming system.

Design

Designed for carrier-based and advanced-base operations, the EA-6B was a fully integrated electronic-warfare system combining long-range, all-weather capabilities with advanced electronic countermeasures. It was the primary electronic warfare aircraft for the USN and USMC. The EA-6B's primary mission was to support ground-attack strikes by disrupting enemy electromagnetic activity. As a secondary mission, it could also gather tactical electronic intelligence within a combat zone, and another secondary mission was attacking enemy radar sites with antiradiation missiles.

The Prowler was operated by a crew of four, a pilot and three electronic countermeasures officers (ECMOs).

Design particulars included the refueling probe being asymmetrical, appearing bent to the right to improve pilot visibility over that of the A-6 Intruder. It contained an antenna near its root. The canopy had a shading of gold to protect the crew against the radio emissions that the electronic-warfare equipment produces.

Operational history

20th century

thumb|left|VAQ-131 was the second squadron to deploy to Vietnam, in September 1972.

In September 1970, the EA-6B entered service with Fleet Replacement Squadron VAQ-129; 10 months later, Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 132 (VAQ-132) became the first operational squadron to be equipped with the type; during June 1972, VAQ-132 began its first combat deployment to Vietnam on ; it was promptly followed by VAQ-131 on and VAQ-134 on . Two squadrons of Prowlers flew 720 sorties during the Vietnam War in support of USN attack aircraft, as well as the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress bombers of the United States Air Force; typically, they suppressed enemy air defenses just prior to the attack/bomber aircraft deploying their own payloads.

During the 1983 invasion of Grenada, four Prowlers supported the operation from . Two years later, in response to the Achille Lauro hijacking, Prowlers from provided ESM support during the interception of the EgyptAir 737 carrying four of the hijackers on 10 October 1985.

Prowlers jammed Libyan radar and air defenses during Operation El Dorado Canyon in April 1986. Similarly, Prowlers from VAQ-135 on jammed Iranian ground control intercept radars, surface-to-air missile-guidance radars, and communication systems during Operation Praying Mantis on 18 April 1988.

During 1991, 39 EA-6Bs were involved in Operation Desert Storm; 27 were based on six aircraft carriers, while 12 were from USMC shore bases. During 4,600 flight hours, Prowlers fired over 150 AGM-88 HARM missiles, the majority of which were targeted at radars and communications nodes across Iraqi's integrated air defense system. In total, USN Prowlers flew 1,132 sorties, while USMC EA-6Bs flew 516 sorties; no losses were incurred.

Following the retirement of the EF-111 Raven in 1998, the EA-6B was the only dedicated aerial radar-jammer aircraft of the United States Armed Forces, until the fielding of the Navy's EA-18G Growler in 2009. The EA-6B was flown in almost all American combat operations from 1972 until its retirement in 2019 and was frequently flown in support of missions undertaken by the United States Air Force (USAF).

21st century

thumb|EA-6B takes off from [[Eielson Air Force Base|Eielson AFB: Note the gold tint of the canopy for protection from electromagnetic interference and prevents some EM emissions.]]

In 2001, 124 Prowlers remained, divided between 12 USN, four USMC, and four joint USN-USAF "Expeditionary" squadrons. A Joint Chiefs of Staff  staff study recommended that the EF-111 Raven be retired to reduce the types of aircraft dedicated to the same mission, which led to an Office of the Secretary of Defense  program memorandum to establish four land-based "expeditionary" Prowler squadrons to meet the needs of the Air Force. Between 2004 and 2014, the USAF augmented USN Prowler units with electronic warfare officers from the 388th and 390th Electronic Combat Squadrons assigned to the 366th Operations Group at Mountain Home AFB, Idaho.

thumb|left|An EA-6B Prowler lands on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier [[USS George H. W. Bush (CVN 77).]]

In 2007, the Prowler reportedly had 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 two MH-60 Black Hawk stealth helicopters and two Chinook helicopters raiding Osama Bin Laden's compound in Operation Neptune Spear.

thumb|upright|USMC-100729-M-0381B-008

During June 2014, VMAQ-3 began flying Prowler missions against Islamic State militants over Iraq. Two months later, Operation Inherent Resolve began and VMAQ-4 took over. The Prowlers were the first USMC aircraft in Syria, where they were involved in strike packages, air drops, and electronic-warfare requirements against militants. By January 2015, the five aircraft of VMAQ-4 had flown 800 hours during 110 sorties in support of operations in both countries, including supporting coalition airstrikes and providing EW support for Iraqi Army forces to degrade enemy systems. Marine Prowlers had not dropped munitions themselves, and host nations basing them have not been revealed.

Though once considered being replaced by Common Support Aircraft, that plan failed to materialize. In 2009, the USN EA-6B Prowler community began transitioning to the EA-18G Growler, an electronic-warfare derivative of the F/A-18F Super Hornet. All but one of the active-duty USN EA-6B squadrons were based at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island. VAQ-136 was stationed at Naval Air Facility Atsugi, Japan, as part of Carrier Air Wing 5, the forward deployed naval forces  air wing that embarks aboard the Japan-based . VAQ-209, the Navy Reserve's sole EA-6B squadron, was stationed at Naval Air Facility Washington, Maryland. All USMC EA-6B squadrons were located at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina.

During 2013, the USN planned to fly the EA-6B until 2015, while the USMC expected to phase out the Prowler in March 2019. The last Navy deployment was on in November 2014, with VAQ-134. The USN's last operational flight took place on 27 May 2015. NAS Whidbey held a retirement commemoration for the EA-6B from 25 to 27 June 2015 of the EA-6B culminating on the last day with the Navy's last operational EA-6B Prowler, bureau number 163890, taking off from NAS Whidbey Island.

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.

During November 2018, Prowlers of VMAQ-2 completed their last operational deployment to Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. The squadron, being the last equipped with the EA-6B, was disbanded on 8 March 2019, after which its remaining two Prowlers were reallocated to museums.

The USMC's four members of VAMQ-2 flew the last EA-6B on its final flight on 14 March 2019 from their station at Cherry Point, North Carolina, to the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center.

Operators

thumb|upright|An EA-6B Prowler from VAQ-138 is carrying two wing-mounted jamming pods.

The EA-6B Prowler was operated by the U.S. Armed Forces with squadrons in the USMC and USN.

USMC squadrons

VMAQ squadrons operated the EA-6B Prowler. Each of the three squadrons operated five aircraft; the squadrons were land-based, although they were capable of operating aboard U.S. Navy aircraft carriers and did so in the past.

In 2013, VMAQ-1 converted from an active to a training squadron as the USN stopped training on the Prowler and switched over to the Growler. The Marine Training Squadron first received students for training in October 2013 and produced its first training flights in April 2014.

{| class="wikitable sortable"

! Squadron Name !! class="unsortable" |Insignia !! Nickname !! Dates operated !! Senior Command!!Station

|1992–2016

|1977-2019

|1992–2018

|1981–2017

In 2008, the USMC investigated an electronic attack role for the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II to replace their Prowlers. The Marines began retiring the EA-6 in 2016 and replaced them with the Marine Air-Ground Task Force Electronic Warfare (MAGTF-EW) concept, which calls for a medium to high-altitude long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle to off-load at least some of the electronic warfare mission.

In November 2018, VMAQ-2 returned from performing the final deployed operations of USMC Prowlers. The Marines retired the aircraft on 8 March 2019, with some placed in storage and on static display at the Smithsonian Institution Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center of the National Air and Space Museum in Chantilly, Virginia and the Frontiers of Flight Museum at Dallas Love Field.

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center; font-size:100%;"

! Squadron Name !! class="unsortable" | Insignia !! Nickname !! Dates Operated !! Carrier air wing !! Station !! Notes

| VAQ-129 || 40px || Vikings || 1971–2015 || Fleet Replacement Squadron || NAS Whidbey Island || Trained both Marine, Air Force, and Navy crews <br />in the EA-6B and the EA-18G

| VAQ-130 || 40px || Zappers || 1975–2011 || CVW-3 || NAS Whidbey Island || EA-6B replaced by EA-18G

| VAQ-131 || 40px || Lancers || 1971–2015 || CVW-2 || NAS Whidbey Island || EA-6B replaced by EA-18G

| VAQ-132 || 40px || Scorpions || 1971–2009 || CVW-17|| NAS Whidbey Island || EA-6B replaced by EA-18G

| VAQ-133 || 40px || Wizards || 1971–2014|| CVW-9 || NAS Whidbey Island || EA-6B replaced by EA-18G

| VAQ-134 || 40px || Garudas ||1972–2015 || CVW-8 || NAS Whidbey Island ||EA-6B replaced by EA-18G.

| VAQ-135 || 40px || Black Ravens || 1973–2010 || || NAS Whidbey Island || EA-6B replaced by EA-18G

| VAQ-136 || 40px || Gauntlets || 1973–2012 || || NAS Whidbey Island || EA-6B replaced by EA-18G

| VAQ-137 || 40px || Rooks || 1973–2012 || CVW-1 || NAS Whidbey Island || EA-6B replaced by EA-18G

| VAQ-138 || 40px || Yellow Jackets || 1976–2009 || || N/A || EA-6B replaced by EA-18G

| VAQ-139 || 40px || Cougars || 1983–2011 || CVW-17 || NAS Whidbey Island || EA-6B replaced by EA-18G

| VAQ-140 || 40px || Patriots || 1985–2014|| CVW-7 || NAS Whidbey Island || EA-6B replaced by EA-18G

| VAQ-141 || 40px || Shadowhawks || 1987–2009|| CVW-5 || Naval Air Facility (NAF) Atsugi||EA-6B replaced by EA-18G

| VAQ-142 || 40px || Gray Wolves || 1997–2015 || CVW-11 || NAS Whidbey Island ||EA-6B replaced by EA-18G

| VAQ-209 || 40px || Star Warriors || 1977–2013 || Reserve Tactical Support Wing ||NAS Whidbey Island||EA-6B replaced by EA-18G

Disestablished Squadrons

VAQ-128: Established as an expeditionary squadron in October 1997, utilizing the insignia and heritage of the former A-6 Intruder Fleet Replacement Squadron at NAS Whidbey Island. Disestablished in September 2004 due to budget reductions.

VAQ-309: Established as a Naval Air Reserve Force squadron at NAS Whidbey Island in 1979 with EA-6A aircraft, transitioning to the EA-6B in 1989 as part of Carrier Air Wing Reserve THIRTY (CVWR-30). Disestablished on 31 Dec 1994 following the decommissioning of CVWR-30 due to budget cuts; aircraft returned to the Regular Navy.

Notable accidents

While no Prowler was ever lost during combat operations, nearly fifty of the 170 aircraft built were destroyed in various accidents as of 2013. In 1998, a memorial at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island was dedicated to 44 crew members lost in EA-6B aircraft accidents.

On 26 May 1981, a USMC EA-6B crashed onto the flight deck of and caused a fire, killing 14 crewmen and injuring 45 others. The Prowler was running out of fuel after a missed approach ("bolter" in Navy parlance), and its crash and the subsequent fire and explosions destroyed or damaged 19 other aircraft.
On 5 December 1988 at 0215 hours, a US Navy EA-6B was reported missing after taking off on a training exercise from the USS Constellation (CV-64), approximately 900 miles west of San Diego, California. A search and rescue team reported seeing debris, but the debris sank before a recovery operation could be undertaken. All four of the crew were killed.
On 3 November 1992, a US Navy EA-6B (161776, P99 First lCAP ll) from VAQ 129 crashed after takeoff outside of Naval Air Facility, El Centro killing all three crew members aboard.
On 3 February 1998, a USMC EA-6B, BuNo 163045, from VMAQ-2 struck the cables of a cable car system in Cavalese, Italy. The crew broke rules to fly low at high speed in mountainous terrain, cut the cables and caused the death of 20 people when a cable car running on the line fell to the ground. The aircraft also suffered severe damage to its vertical stabilizer and wings as a result of striking the cable, but was landed successfully at Aviano Air Base. Two members of the crew were court-martialed a second time for obstruction of justice and conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman, because they had destroyed a videotape recorded on the plane the day of the disaster.
On 8 November 1998, a USN EA-6B landed on a Lockheed S-3 Viking during night landing qualifications on ; four crew members were killed.
On 11 March 2013, a USN EA-6B of Electronic Attack Squadron VAQ-129 in Washington State, crashed during a training exercise. Three crew members were killed. A year later, an investigation determined that the Prowler experienced a controlled flight into terrain that was due to pilot error.

Variants

EA-6A: Two early production A-6As converted to EA-6As as prototypes. Total of 25 EA-6As were built, including 10 conversions of A-6As and 15 production EA-6As.
EA-6B: Three A-6As converted as initial prototypes. Total of 170 EA-6Bs were built.

United States

thumb|right|An EA-6B on display at the Patuxent River Naval Air Museum

thumb|right|An EA-6B Prowler on display at Tinker AFB in Oklahoma City

thumb|EA-6B Prowler 162230 (left) on display at the [[Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, alongside a Lockheed Martin X-35B & Grumman A-6E Intruder]]

147865 – EA-6A on static display at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point in Havelock, North Carolina.
148618 – EA-6A on static display at Naval Air Station Key West in Big Coppitt Key, Florida.
149475 – EA-6A on static display at the Wisconsin National Guard Memorial Library and Museum at Volk Field Air National Guard Base in Camp Douglas, Wisconsin.
156481 – EA-6B on static display at the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Florida.
158029 – EA-6B on static display at Naval Air Station Patuxent River in Lexington Park, Maryland.
158033 – EA-6B on static display at Patuxent River Naval Air Museum in Lexington Park, Maryland.
158034 – EA-6B on static display at Charles B. Hall Airpark at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
158811 – EA-6B on static display at the Pacific Coast Air Museum in Santa Rosa, California.
160432 – EA-6B on static display at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point in Havelock, North Carolina.
160436 – EA-6B on static display at the Castle Air Museum in Atwater, California.
160609 – EA-6B on static display at Naval Air Station Jacksonville in Jacksonville, Florida.
161884 – EA-6B on static display at the Museum of Flight in Seattle, Washington. It is on loan from the National Naval Aviation Museum at Pensacola, Florida.
162228 – EA-6B on static display at the Frontiers of Flight Museum at Dallas Love Field in Dallas, Texas. This aircraft along with 162230 participated in the decommissioning of VMAQ-2 in March, 2019.
162230 – EA-6B on static display at the Smithsonian Institution's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia. This aircraft along with 162228 participated in the decommissioning of VMAQ-2 in March, 2019.
162938 – EA-6B on static display at the American Airpower Museum in Farmingdale, New York.
163047 – EA-6B on static display at the MAPS Air Museum in Canton, Ohio
163395 – EA-6B on static display at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.
163886 – EA-6B on static display at the Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum in Denver, Colorado.
164401 – EA-6B on static display at Naval Support Activity Crane in Crane, Indiana.-->

|empty weight lb= 31,160

|empty weight note=

|gross weight lb=

|gross weight note=

|max takeoff weight lb= 61,500

|max takeoff weight note=

|fuel capacity=

|more general=

<!-- Powerplant

-->

|eng1 number= 2

|eng1 name= Pratt & Whitney J52-P-408A

|eng1 type=turbojet engines

|eng1 lbf= 10,400

|eng1 note=

<!-- Performance

-->

|max speed kts= 566

|max speed note=

|max speed mach=

|cruise speed kts= 418

|cruise speed note=

|stall speed kts=

|stall speed note=

|never exceed speed kts=

|never exceed speed note=

|minimum control speed kts=

|minimum control speed note=

|range nmi= 2,022

|range note= (tanks kept)

:::: (tanks dropped)

|combat range nmi=

|combat range note=

|ferry range nmi=

|ferry range note=

|endurance=

|ceiling ft= 37,600

|ceiling note=

|g limits=

|roll rate=

|climb rate ftmin= 12,900

|climb rate note=

|time to altitude=

|wing loading lb/sqft= 116

|wing loading note=

|fuel consumption lb/mi=

|thrust/weight= 0.34

|more performance=

<!-- Armament

-->

|guns=

|hardpoints= five total: one on the centerline/under-fuselage and four under-wing pylon stations

|hardpoint capacity=

|hardpoint missiles= Up to four AGM-88 HARM Anti-radiation missiles (typically two carried)

|hardpoint other=<br />

Up to five external drop tanks
Up to five 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

<!--The above is from Navy Fact File. I was going to add the rest this stuff, but it looks like a bit much. I'm sure the lower numbers must be older equipment and I'm not sure exactly which ones are currently installed on the EA-6B or even if each EA-6B has the same avionics suite. The info below comes mostly from http://www.designation-systems.net/usmilav/jetds/an-alq2aly.html etc.

ALQ-41 X-Band trackbreaker ECM
ALQ-100 E/F/G/H-Band Track-Breaker / ALQ-126 Noise Deception Jammer – this was an installed option in the ICAP-II although there were weights in place of the hardware for weight and balance
ALQ-149 communications jamming system
ALQ-169 OWL-D Electro-Optic Countermeasures
ALQ-190 Airborne Chaff
ALQ-218 Electronic Warfare Receiver (EA-6B ICAP III)
ALR-42 System Integration Receiver
ALR-45 2–18 GHz Radar Warning Receiver
ALR-52 Instananeous Frequency Measuring Receiver
ALT-28 Noise Jammer
ALE-29 Chaff & Flare Dispenser
ALE-39 Chaff & Flare Dispenser
ALE-41 High-Capacity Bulk Chaff Dispenser
ALE-43 Chaff Cutter & Dispenser Pod
AYK-14 Standard Airborne General Purpose Digital Computer -->

References

Citations

Bibliography

External links

EA-6B Prowler Fact File and EA-6B history on Navy.mil
EA-6B Gondola Mishap, Cavalese, Italy, 3 February 1998, Aviation Safety Consulting Services,
The Grumman A-6 Intruder & EA-6B Prowler (airvectors.net)