EA-18 Growler

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Boeing EA-18G Growler

EA-18G Growler in flight
Type	Electronic Attack aircraft
Manufacturer	Boeing
Maiden flight	August 15, 2006
Primary user	United States Navy
Unit cost	US$66 million in 2003
Developed from	F/A-18F Super Hornet

The Boeing EA-18G Growler is a carrier-based electronic warfare version of the two-seat F/A-18F Super Hornet. It is slated to begin production in 2008, with fleet deployment in 2009. The EA-18G will replace the Navy's EA-6B Prowler.

1 Development
2 Electronics
3 Orders
4 Specifications (EA-18G Growler)
5 References
6 External links
7 Related content

[edit] Development

An electronic attack version of the F/A-18F, the EA-18G Growler will replace the Navy's EA-6B Prowler. F/A-18F "F-1" was re-fitted with ALQ-99 electronic-warfare system, and successfully completed an initial flight demonstration of the EA-18 Airborne Electronic Attack (AEA) concept aircraft flight on November 15, 2001.^[1] The first EA-18G test aircraft went into production in October 22, 2004.^[2] The EA-18G had a public rollout on August 3, 2006^[3]. The first test aircraft, known as EA-1 made its initial flight in St. Louis on August 15, 2006.^[4], and ferried to the US Navy's Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland on September 22, 2006. It primarily supports ground testing in the Air Combat Environment Test and Evaluation Facility (ACETEF) anechoic chamber. The second aircraft, known as EA-2 first flew on November 10, 2006 ^[5] and was delivered to NAS Patuxent River (Pax River) on November 29, 2006. ^[6]. EA-2 is the primary AEA flight test aircraft, initially flying on Pax River's Atlantic Test Range (ATR) for developmental test of the AEA system before transitioning to the Electronic Combat Range (ECR, or 'Echo Range') in Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake in California. Regular production is slated to begin in 2008, with Initial Operational Capability expected in 2009.

[edit] Electronics

The EA-18G can be fitted with up to five ALQ-99 tactical jamming pods, and will typically add two AIM-120 self-defense missiles and two AGM-88 High Speed Anti-Radiation (HARM) missiles^[7]. The EA-18G will also use the INCANS Interference Cancellation system that will allow voice communication while jamming enemy communications, a capability not available on the EA-6B ^[8].

[edit] Orders

EA-18G Growler in hangar, minus EW pods

The US Navy has ordered a total of 57 airplanes to replace its existing EA-6B Prowlers in service, all of which will be based at NAS Whidbey Island save for Reserve Squadron VAQ-209 based at NAF Washington, MD.

In an April 2006 report, the United States Government Accountability Office expressed concerns that because the EA-18G was apparently "not fully following the knowledge-based approach inherent in best practices and DOD’s acquisition guidance", the program had an increasing risk of "future cost growth and schedule delays".^[9] The report recommends that the DOD consider purchasing additional ICAP III upgrades for EA-6Bs to fill any current and near-term capability gaps and restructure the initial EA-18G production plans so that procurement takes place after the aircraft has "demonstrated full functionality".

[edit] Specifications (EA-18G Growler)

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General characteristics

Crew: Two

Unit cost: (EA-18G) $66 million (2003 USD)

Length: 60 ft 1.25 in (18.31 m)
Wingspan: 44 ft 8.5 in. including wingtip-mounted pods (13.62 m)
Height: 16 ft (4.88 m)
Wing area: 500.00 ft² (46.45 m²)
Empty weight: 30,564 lb (13,864 kg)

Basic weight: 31,500 lb (14,288 kg)
Fighter configuration: 47,000 lb (21,320 kg)
Internal fuel capacity: 14,000 lb (6,350 kg)
External fuel capacity (5 x 480 gal tanks): 16,380 lb (7,430 kg))

Max takeoff weight: 66,000 lb (29,900 kg)
Powerplant: 2× General Electric F414-GE-400 turbofans, 14,000 lbf dry; 22,000 lbf with afterburning (62 kN / 98 kN) each

Performance

Maximum speed: In excess of Mach 1.8 at high altitude (1,188+ mph)
Range: 681 mi (1095 km) on hi-hi-hi interdiction mission with 4× 1,000 lb (454 kg) bombs, 2× AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles, and 2 drop tanks, or 173 miles combat, on 135-minute maritime air superiority mission with 6 AAMs and 3 drop tanks (1,095 km / 278 km)
Service ceiling: >50,000 ft (15,000 m)
Rate of climb: ft/min (m/s)
Wing loading: lb/ft² (453kg/m²)

Armament

External payload: (as on F/A-18E/F; exact load for EA-18G unkown as yet) 11 external weapons stations with capacity up to 17,750 lb (8,050 kg). 2 wingtip LAU-127 launchers for Sidewinder, 6 removable under wing mounted hard points (4 inner with increased carriage capability), 2 multi-mode conformal fuselage stations (Sparrow / AMRAAM or FLIR/ASQ-228 ATFLIR), 1 centerline fuselage removable hardpoint, usually fuel or refueling store.
Weapons employment: 2 AIM-9 Sidewinder on wingtips, AIM-7 Sparrow, (up to 12 total to be cleared, more than any other US fighter with 2 each on inner 4 pylons) AIM-120 AMRAAM, AGM-84 Harpoon, AGM-88 HARM, AGM-45 Shrike, AGM-84E SLAM, SLAM-ER, AGM-62 Walleye, AGM-65 Maverick missiles; AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon, Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM); B57 or B61 Nuclear Freefall bombs, Paveway LGBs, Mk 80 series general-purpose bombs, Mk-20 Rockeye II and CBU-series cluster bombs, BLU-series napalm bombs, LAU-sereis multiple launchers for 70 mm Hydra 70 air-to-surface unguided rockets.