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AN/ALQ-99

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The AN/ALQ-99 system on EA-6B Prowler Aircraft. EA-6B in foreground carries 3 under-wing jamming pods for transmitting and a single fixed pod on its tail for receiving.

The AN/ALQ-99 is an airborne electronic warfare system, found on EA-6B and EA-18G military aircraft.

System Description

The ALQ-99 is an airborne integrated jamming system designed and manufactured by EDO Corporation. Receiver equipment and antennas are mounted in a fin-tip pod while jamming transmitters and exciter equipment are located in under-wing pods. The system is capable of intercepting, automatically processing and jamming received radio frequency signals.[1] The system receivers can also be used to detect, identify and direction find those signals, providing Signals intelligence (SIGINT) either automatically or manually.[2]

Platforms

EF-111A Raven in the foreground carrying a fixed tail pod for receiving and a fixed transmitting pod on underside. Note that while the EA-6B carries removable transmitter pods, the EF-111 has the transmitter built into the underside of the aircraft.

The AN/ALQ-99 is currently mounted on EA-6B Prowler and EA-18G Growler aircraft of the U.S. Navy and, in the case of the EA-6B Prowler only, U.S. Marine Corps.

It has been previously mounted on EF-111A Raven aircraft of the U.S. Air Force. These aircraft were fully retired from service by May 1998.

Versions

  • AN/ALQ-99E – the version mounted on EF-111A aircraft. It has a 70% commonality with the U.S. Navy's AN/ALQ-99 systems.

The EF-111A Ravens were initially stationed at Mountain Home AFB, Idaho using modified AGS Yellow Squadron's F-111A Aardvarks.

Performance

The AN/ALQ-99 has a maximum power output of 10.8 kW in its older versions and of 6.8 kW in its newer versions.[3] It uses a ram air turbine to supply its own power.

History

Tail fin housing assembly for the AN/ALQ-99 equipment, seen during an EF-111A conversion.

The AN/ALQ-99 has been used during the Vietnam War (1972-1973), 1986 American attacks in Libya, 1991 Gulf War, Operation Northern Watch (1992–2003), Operation Southern Watch (1997–2003), 1999 Balkans War and 2003 Second Gulf War. In all of these conflicts its performance has been regarded as very good and in some cases crucial.

See also

References

  1. ^ EDO Corporation EA-6B Page.
  2. ^ The Warfighter's encyclopedia. EA-6B Prowler.
  3. ^ Cooling Requirements for the Advanced Ram Air Driven Power and Cooling Unit (ARADPCU) on the EA-18G.
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