Grumman EA-6B Prowler

The EA-6B Prowler is a twin-engine, mid-wing electronic warfare aircraft manufactured by Grumman (now Northrop Grumman Aerospace) as a modification of the basic A-6 Intruder airframe.

Development

The Prowler has a crew of four, a pilot and three Electronic Counter-measures Officers (known as ECMOs). Powered by two non-afterburning Pratt & Whitney J52-P408 turbojet engines, it is capable of speeds of up to 950 km/h (590 miles per hour) with a range of 1,840 kilometers (1,140 miles). Since EW operations are very demanding, the Prowler is a high-maintenance aircraft and also undergoes more frequent equipment upgrades than any other aircraft in the Navy.

A Marine EA-6A Intruder over Cherry Point, 1978.

Design particulars include the refueling probe being asymmetrical, appearing bent to the right; it contains an antenna near its root. The canopy has a shading of gold not for sunlight but to protect the crew against the radio emissions that the electronic warfare equipment produces.

Although designed as an electronic escort and command and control platform for strike missions, the EA-6B is also capable of attacking surface targets on its own, especially radars, SAM launchers, and other enemy defenses. The AGM-88 HARM (High-speed Anti-Radiation Missile) is the main offensive strike weapon of the Prowler. In addition, the aircraft is highly capable of conducting electronic intelligence (ELINT) collection.

An earlier EA-6A "Electric Intruder" was developed during the Vietnam War. Basically a straightforward conversion of the standard two-seat A-6 airframe fitted with EW equipment, it was essentially an interim aircraft used only by a few USMC squadrons.

The much more advanced and substantially redesigned EA-6B first flew on May 25, 1968 and entered service in July 1971.

Advanced Capability EA-6B (ADVCAP)

EA-6B ADVCAP

The Advanced Capability EA-6B Prowler (ADVCAP) was a development program initiated to improve the flying qualities of the EA-6B and to upgrade the avionics and electronic warfare systems. The intention was to modify all EA-6B's into the ADVCAP configuration, however the program was removed from the Fiscal Year 1995 budget due to financial pressure from competing Department of Defense acquisition programs.

The ADVCAP development program was initiated in the late 1980s and was broken into three distinct phases: Full-Scale Development (FSD), Vehicle Enhancement Program (VEP) and the Avionics Improvement Program (AIP).

FSD served primarily to evaluate the new AN/ALQ-149 Electronic Warfare System. The program utilized a slightly modified EA-6B to house the new system.

The VEP added numerous changes to the aircraft to address deficiencies with the original EA-6B flying qualities, particularly lateral-directional problems that exacerbated recovery from out-of-control flight. Bureau Number 158542 was used. Changes included:

• Leading edge strakes (to improve directional stability)
• Fin pod extension (to improve directional stability)
• Ailerons (to improve slow speed lateral control)
• Recontoured leading edge slats and trailing edge flaps (to compensate for an increase in gross weight)
• Two additional wing stations on the outer wing panel (for jamming pods only)
• New J52-P-409 engines (increased thrust by 2000 lbf (8.9 kN) per engine)
• New digital Standard Automatic Flight Control System (SAFCS)

The added modifications increased the aircraft gross weight approximately 2,000 pound (900 kg) and shifted the center of gravity 3% MAC aft of the baseline EA-6B. When operating at sustained high angles-of-attack, fuel migration would cause additional shifts in CG with the result that the aircraft had slightly negative longitudinal static stability. Results of flight tests of the new configuration showed greatly improved flying qualities and the rearward shift of the CG had minimal impact.

"FrankenProwler" during a preflight inspection at Al Asad Air Base, Iraq.

The AIP prototype (bureau number 158547) represented the final ADVCAP configuration, incorporating all of the FSD and VEP modifications plus a completely new avionics suite which added multi-function displays to all crew positions, a head-up display for the pilot, and dual Global Positioning System/INS navigation systems. The initial joint test phase between the contractor and the US Navy test pilots completed successfully with few deficiencies.

After the program was canceled, the three experimental Prowlers, BuNo 156482, 158542 and 158547, were mothballed until 1999. During the next several years, the three aircraft were dismantled and reassembled creating a single aircraft, b/n 158542, which the Navy dubbed "FrankenProwler". It was returned to active service March 23, 2005.

Improved Capability (ICAP)

Northrop Grumman received contracts from the US Navy 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 threat location. The ICAP III sets also are equipped with the Multifunction Information Distribution System (MIDS), which includes the Link 16 data link system. Northrop has delivered two lots and will be delivering two more beginning in 2010.

Design

Designed for carrier and advanced base operations, the Prowler is a fully integrated electronic warfare system combining long-range, all-weather capabilities with advanced electronic countermeasures. A forward equipment bay and pod-shaped fairing on the vertical fin house the additional avionics equipment. It is the United States Navy's (USN) and the United States Marine Corps's primary electronic warfare aircraft. The primary mission of the aircraft is to support strike aircraft and ground troops by interrupting enemy electronic activity and obtaining tactical electronic intelligence within a combat area.

Operational history

EA-6B Prowler takes off from Eielson AFB. Note the tint of the gold embedded in the canopy. The gold provides protection from electromagnetic (EM) interference and prevents some EM emissions

Since the retirement of the EF-111 Raven in 1995, the EA-6B is one of the primary aerial radar jammers in the Department of Defense (DoD) arsenal. It has been utilized in practically every US combat operation and is frequently flown in support of the United States Air Force.

About 125 Prowlers remain today, divided between 12 Navy, 4 Marine, and 4 joint Navy-Air Force "Expeditionary" squadrons. A JCS staff study recommended that the EF-111 Raven be retired to reduce Type/Model/Series aircraft dedicated to the same mission, which led to an OSD Program Decision Memorandum (PDM) to establish 4 "expeditionary" Prowler squadrons composed of Navy and USAF personnel to meet the needs of the Air Force.

Though once considered being replaced by Common Support Aircraft, the original plan failed to materialize. Although EA-6B remains in service today, the Navy EA-6B Prowler community is slated to be begin transitioning in 2009 to the EA-18G Growler, a new electronic warfare derivative of the F/A-18F Super Hornet. All but one active duty Navy EA-6B squadrons are based at Naval Air Station (NAS) Whidbey Island, located in the northwest corner of the state of Washington. VAQ-136 is stationed at Naval Air Facility Atsugi, Japan, as part of Carrier Air Wing 5, the forward deployed air wing that deploys aboard USS George Washington and VAQ-209, a Navy Reserve squadron, is stationed at NAF Washington, DC. Marine EA-6B squadrons are located at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina.

Operations in Afghanistan & Iraq

According to news reports, the Prowler has been used in anti-IED operations in the current conflict in Afghanistan for several years by jamming remote detonation devices such as garage door openers or cellular telephones. Two Prowler squadrons are also based in Iraq, working with the same mission.

Operators

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

The EA-6B Prowler is operated by the United States, and has squadrons in both its Marine Corps and Navy.

USMC squadrons

VMAQ squadrons operate the EA-6B Prowler. Each of the four squadrons operates five aircraft and are land-based (although they are capable of landing on board U.S. Navy aircraft carriers).

Squadron Name	Insignia	Nickname	Date Commissioned	Senior Command	Station
VMAQ-1	File:Vmaq1 insig.jpg	Banshees	July 1, 1992	MAG-14, 2nd MAW	MCAS Cherry Point, NC
VMAQ-2		Death Jesters	September 15, 1952	MAG-14, 2nd MAW	MCAS Cherry Point, NC
VMAQ-3		Moon Dogs	July 1, 1992	MAG-14, 2nd MAW	MCAS Cherry Point, NC
VMAQ-4		Seahawks	November 7, 1981	MAG-14, 2nd MAW	MCAS Cherry Point, NC

USN squadrons

A typical Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron consists of 4 EA-6B Prowlers. Navy Electronic Attack squadrons carry the letters VAQ (V-fixed wing, A-attack, Q-electronic). Most VAQ squadrons are carrier based, however a number are "expeditionary", deploying to overseas land bases.

Squadron Name	Insignia	Nickname	Date Commissioned	Carrier air wing	Station
VAQ-129	File:Vaq-129.gif	Vikings	September 1, 1970	Fleet Replacement Squadron	NAS Whidbey Island
VAQ-130	File:Vaq-130.gif	Zappers	October 1, 1968	CVW-3	NAS Whidbey Island
VAQ-131	File:Vaq-131.gif	Lancers	1946	CVW-2	NAS Whidbey Island
VAQ-132	File:Vaq-132.gif	Scorpions	April 1957	CVW-17	NAS Whidbey Island
VAQ-133	File:Vaq-133.gif	Wizards	March 4, 1969	Expeditionary	NAS Whidbey Island
VAQ-134	File:Vaq-134.gif	Garudas	June 7, 1969	Expeditionary	NAS Whidbey Island
VAQ-135		Black Ravens	May 15, 1969	CVW-11	NAS Whidbey Island
VAQ-136		Gauntlets	April 6, 1973	CVW-5	NAF Atsugi
VAQ-137	File:Vaq-137.gif	Rooks	December 14, 1973	CVW-1	NAS Whidbey Island
VAQ-138	File:Vaq-138.gif	Yellowjackets	February 1976	CVW-9	NAS Whidbey Island
VAQ-139	File:Vaq-139.gif	Cougars	July 1, 1983	CVW-14	NAS Whidbey Island
VAQ-140	File:Vaq-140.gif	Patriots	October 1, 1985	CVW-7	NAS Whidbey Island
VAQ-141	File:Vaq-141.gif	Shadowhawks		CVW-8	NAS Whidbey Island
VAQ-142		Gray Wolves	June 1, 1988	Expeditionary	NAS Whidbey Island
VAQ-143		Cobras		Expeditionary	NAS Whidbey Island
VAQ-209	File:Vaq-209.gif	Star Warriors	October 1, 1977	Reserve Tactical Support Wing	NAF Andrews

Notable incidents

While no Prowler has ever been lost in combat, over forty were destroyed in various accidents as of 2007.

• On May 26, 1981, an EA-6B crashed onto the flight deck of the USS Nimitz and caused a blaze, killing 14 crew men and injuring 45 others.
• A USMC EA-6B Prowler, BuNo 163045, from VMAQ-2 caused the Cavalese cable-car disaster on February 3, 1998, cutting the cables of a ski-lift in Italy and killing 20.
• In 1998, a memorial at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island was dedicated to 44 crew members lost in EA-6B aircraft accidents. Later that year on November 10, 1998, that total increased to 48 when four crew members were killed when an EA-6B collided with an S-3 Viking during night landing practice on USS Enterprise. Five more aircraft have been lost since 1998, but none resulted in fatalities.

Specifications (EA-6B)

Orthographically projected diagram of the Grumman EA-6B Prowler.

Two EA-6B Prowlers over Turkey flying in support of Operation Northern Watch, 2002.

An EA-6B patrols the skies over Bosnia and Herzegovina, 1995.

Data from US Navy Fact File, UA Navy history page

General characteristics

• Crew: four (one pilot, three electronic countermeasures officers)

Performance

• Thrust/weight: 0.34

Armament

• Up to 4 AGM-88 HARM antiradar missiles
• Up to 5 ALQ-99 Tactical Jamming System (TJS) external pods
• Up to 5 300 gallon external drop tanks

Avionics

• ALQ-99 on board receiver (OBS), ALQ-99 pod mounted jamming system (TJS)
• USQ-113 communications jamming system

See also

Related development

• A-6 Intruder

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

• EF-111 Raven
• EA-18 Growler

Related lists

• List of active military aircraft of the United States

References

Bibliography

• Miska, Kurt H. "Grumman A-6A/E Intruder; EA-6A; EA6B Prowler (Aircraft in Profile number 252)". Aircraft in Profile, Volume 14. Windsor, Berkshire, UK: Profile Publications Ltd., 1974, p. 137-160. ISBN 0-85383-023-1.

External links

• EA-6B Prowler Fact File and EA-6B history on Navy.mil
• Grumman EA-6B Prowler on NASA Langley site, discussion of ADCAP VEP and cooling modifications.
• EA-6B Prowler on GlobalSecurity.org
• EA-6B Gondola Mishap, Cavalese, Italy, February 3, 1998, Aviation Safety Consulting Services,
• "Navy pilots honor philanthropic locals", East Oregonian News, April 29, 2006.
• "Navy Making Significant Investment To Keep Prowlers Flying", Defense Daily, October 16, 2007.